The trial for the attack on the Strasbourg Christmas market ended this evening in Paris. In December 2018, a terrorist claiming to be from the Islamic State organization killed 5 people and injured 11 others before being shot dead by police two days later. Four defendants have been appearing before the Paris Special Assize Court since February. The verdict fell this Thursday evening and the main accused received a sentence of 30 years in prison.
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He knew that a criminal project ” was ” in development »: Audrey Mondjehi, 42, was sentenced Thursday evening in Paris to 30 years in prison for having helped the jihadist Cherif Chekatt to obtain the weapon with which he killed five people in December 2018 in the streets of the Strasbourg Christmas market.
This sentence, almost in accordance with the requisitions of the national anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office (Pnat), is accompanied by a two-thirds security period, and a definitive ban on French territory – Mondjehi being of Ivorian nationality.
After five weeks of hearing, the Paris Assize Court ruled that the repeat offender, despite his denials, “ had knowledge of violent radicalization » of the killer, to whom he was close, and consequently judged him guilty of “terrorist criminal association”, declared President Corinne Goetzmann, in the presence of dozens of attentive civil parties – out of 208 in total.
Read alsoThe trial of the Christmas market attack in Strasbourg opens before the special assize court
In the three months preceding the killing, Audrey Mondjehi “ knew that Chérif Chekatt’s criminal project was being developed », Estimated the court, specially composed of professional magistrates. However, it “ was unaware of the precise terms », ruled the judges, who therefore recognized the forty-year-old not guilty of “complicity” in assassinations and attempted terrorist assassinations.
The court also sentenced two other defendants, found guilty of “criminal conspiracy” under common law, to lighter sentences for also having played an intermediary role, but of lesser importance.
On the evening of December 11, 2018, after pledging allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) group, Chérif Chekatt killed five people and injured 11 others in the crowded streets of the Alsatian capital. He was then shot dead by the police after two days of tracking.
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