At the trial for the assassination of Samuel Paty, a fourth accused was questioned this Tuesday, December 3 by the special assize court of Paris. Abdelhakim Sefrioui, 65, is accused of having created a video targeting Samuel Paty. In a confident, sometimes directive tone, Abdelhakim Sefrioui gave a hard time to the court which has been trying, since the start of the trial, to better understand this nebulous character.
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“ If my video hadn’t existed, it wouldn’t have changed anything » to the fate of Samuel Paty, defended Tuesday December 3 the Islamist activist Abdelhakim Sefrioui, tried for having participated in a hate campaign against the professor, beheaded in October 2020 by a young Chechen Islamist. The prosecution tried by all means to get into the head of Abdelhakim Sefrioui. Since no proof exists that the terrorist Abdullah Kanzorov watched his video denouncing the actions of Samuel Paty, the lawyers of the civil parties are trying to uncover any intention that the clip was nevertheless broadcast, in the hope that someone ‘one hurts the teacher.
But the accused does not let himself be fooled so easily. He returns questions, launches into long diatribes, as reported Amélie Beaucourfrom RFI’s France service. “ Have you been an imam ? Do you belong to an Islamist movement? ? Are you a violent man ? What do you think about the crime of blasphemy? ? » When the testimonies, publications and messages that appear in the file go in one direction, Abdelhakim Sefrioui systematically goes in the other. It will be his word against everyone else’s.
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“ A sick man killed the teacher »
“ Did you contribute to designating Samuel Paty as a target with your video ? », tries President Franck Zientara to Abdelhakim Sefrioui. “ No », replies the accused. But, the president insists: “ We talked about causal chain. You therefore believe that you have no responsibility in the chain of responsibility ? » « I’m not in the chain. At all. This is a separate event that has nothing to do with the channel “, defends the preacher. The video was seen by at least 13,000 people, the investigation found.
The accused reaffirms that he has no links with terrorist networks. “ A sick man killed the teacher », We will read in his conversations with his loved ones after the attack, proof for his lawyer that he too is in shock. At 8:30 p.m. (Paris time), his defense asks his last question: “ You fled Morocco for France because you valued freedom of expression. Do you believe in the justice of your country ? » « Yes, otherwise I wouldn’t be here, he concludes. I’ve been waiting for this moment for four years. I’m waiting for her to cleanse me of what has tainted my life. »
Prosecuted for terrorist conspiracy, Abdelhakim Sefrioui faces thirty years in prison, as Brahim Chnina heard by the courts on December 2 and who is accused of having broadcast videos and messages designating his daughter’s history and geography teacher as a target.
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