She was on trial in Paris for having spent nearly four years in IS, in Iraq and Syria and admitted for the first time in court that she had wanted to die “as a martyr”. With this sentence, the court seems to have responded to the requests made both in the prosecution’s closing arguments and in the defense pleadings.
With our special correspondent at the courthouse, Laura Martel
Ten years in prison including two thirds of security and a socio-judicial follow-up of seven years, it is the sentence imposed by the special assize court of Paris to Amandine Le Coz, 32 years old, found guilty of association of terrorist criminals . Ten years, just one year less than what the prosecution had requested: the court seems to have heard the insistence of the Advocate General on the duration of the stay of the young woman within the IS marked by a “ jihadist commitment “persistent, and its” worries ” as to ” danger factor » that could constitute his « vulnerability “. On the other hand, while he had required three years of socio-judicial follow-up, the court opted for seven.
But what could appear as an additional sanction is not. Because during the hearing, Amandine Le Coz never ceased to say her need to continue to be supported by the team of the radicalization prevention district, at the origin of her positive development. ” Socio-judicial follow-up, yes! “had even pleaded his lawyer, worried that a heavy sentence without support would be” counterproductive “.
put out
As usual, President Raviot was concerned to know if the accused had understood the decision. ” My lawyer will explain to me “, replied Amandine Le Coz. The court has considered that you had made an effort, but you still need to make an effort, and to be accompanied summed up the judge. The accused acquiesced and then thanked President Raviot, just like another “ghost”, Douha Mounib, sentenced to 12 years in prison, had done on Wednesday.
Amandine le Coz, originally from the Paris area, had been on trial since Thursday for criminal terrorist conspiracy. In the photos of her Syrian time – she arrived there in September 2014 – that Advocate General Benjamin Chamber scrolls through, we see weapons, the black flags of IS, three silhouettes in niqabs – Amandine Le Coz is in the middle , next to the one brandishing a Kalashnikov.
The young woman converted to Islam at 23, and her parents kicked her out. Because of this rejection, the one who was a bit of a model, a bit of a saleswoman, a lot of a party girl, quickly becomes radicalized. “ I was in hate “, she will justify the glass box.
“Fear of the Flames of Hell”
She is looking for a husband on the internet. The first candidate is a certain “Abou Merguez”. ” How did you meet him? asks President Laurent Raviot. ” I had typed “Abou…” on Facebook “, answers Amandine Le Coz, “ candid », « naive according to the expert psychologist who examined her.
On social networks, she tries to convince at least two women, including a minor, to join Syria. ” It’s because of idiots like me that girls ” go to Syria, “ that they are beaten, raped, killed she sobbed, apologizing again. “ I am ashamed “.
President Raviot questions him about his ” ambiguity “, she who has several times tried to leave the EI without ever following up. ” I was afraid of being a disbeliever, I was afraid of the flames of hell, I believed in what Daesh (Arabic acronym for IS, editor’s note) was doing “, she says. ” On the other hand I wanted to see my family again, to have a normal life, to be happy. »
It is finally, she says, for the future of her son that she decides to surrender to the Kurdish forces in 2018. She will be deported to France at the end of 2019.
(With AFP)