Interviewed on the French channel CNews on Wednesday July 10, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin announced that a ” radicalized imam ” Senegalese had been arrested in the morning in the department of Aube, in central France. According to the minister, this would be with a view to an expulsion which should take place during the day. But according to information gathered by RFI, he is in reality a simple worshipper and not an imam, information that the Ministry of the Interior has not corrected.
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” This morning again, we were able to arrest – and he will be expelled today – a radicalized imam who is Senegalese, in the department of Aube.the Minister of the Interior announced on Wednesday in The Big Interview show on CNews. ” This imam mentions in his sermons that women should stay at home, that Muslims should not mix with non-Muslims. These people have no place on the territory of the Republic. ” he added.
However, the man in question does not officiate in any mosque in the Aube department. Described as ” a simple believer “, the individual ” does not have the function of official imam in our places of worship”, says one of the leaders of the Council of the Muslim Faith of Dawn (CCMA).
The man was known for ” radical positions “, which had also been reported by people in charge of mosques in Troyes: ” In particular, there were behaviors and disturbances in two places of worship. “, explains this local source, who says he was alerted a few months ago. But I repeat, this man is not an imam! He is a faithful lambda. Our imams in general work in a spirit of responsibility and in accordance with the principles and values of our Republic. ” he adds.
Another source, internal to one of the mosques mentioned, confirms that the young Senegalese man was a ” faithful ” and not an imam.
” Messages inciting intolerant and retrograde practice of Islam »
Contacted by telephone to comment on the terms used by Gerald Darmaninhis office at the ministry did not provide further details and referred RFI to the Aube prefecture. The latter published a press release on Wednesday afternoon, confirming that a ” Senegalese national ” had received ” a ministerial expulsion order ” on July 8, implemented two days later.
” The individual concerned, aged 37 years old, was known to state services for his radical speeches. He caused disturbances in Troyes mosques and relayed on his social networks, where he was followed by thousands of people, messages inciting an intolerant and retrograde practice of Islam “, the statement said. The word ” imam ” is not used in the press release.
Furthermore, the Minister of the Interior welcomed, again on the CNews set on Wednesday morning, that this expulsion ” in 24 hours ” is permitted by the immigration law and the separatism law, which he brought forward during his mandate.
” Two laws that the New Popular Front wants to abolish. “, he added, accusing the left-wing coalition, which emerged victorious from the ballot boxes in the last legislative electionsto want ” stabbing the French people’s protection system “.
However, these statements are inaccurate, as RFI has already pointed out. at the time of the expulsion of the Tunisian imam Mahjoub Mahjoubi. This rapid expulsion procedure existed before the promulgation of these two laws.
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