At the trial for the assassination of Samuel Paty, Brahim Chnina was questioned this Monday, December 2 by the special assize court of Paris. He is accused of having broadcast videos and messages designating his daughter’s history and geography teacher as a target, after the schoolgirl’s false accusations. Physically very weakened for four years, the accused recognizes his faults. But this did not entirely convince the civil parties.
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“ Responsible but not guilty “, this is how a defense lawyer will summarize the long day of Brahim Chnina’s hearing, this Monday, December 2. White hair, sunken face, he is 52 years old but looks 20 years older since his incarceration, described Amélie Beaucourjournalist in the French service of RFI. Prosecuted for terrorist conspiracy, he has repeatedly repeated that he regrets having posted messages and videos, denouncing Samuel Paty as a professor “ thug “. An impulsive and idiotic gesture, according to him.
The lawyer for the professor’s family doesn’t want to know anything. She sees relentlessness and no attempt to appease the messages of hatred which have flooded social networks. “ Do you think you contributed to what happened? ? », asks President Franck Zientara. “ Unfortunately yes, replies the accused. I am sad to have put Mr. Paty in this situation, that was not my goal at all. If I had known that there were threatening individuals, perhaps I could have done something to help Mr. Paty. »
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If he assumes his share of responsibility, others also have things to reproach themselves for, he expresses awkwardly. First Abdullah Kanzorov, who set a trap for all the accused in this box, but also the principal of the college. Brahim Chnina had gone to meet him several times to request sanctions against Samuel Paty whom he believed guilty of discrimination during a course on freedom of expression described by his daughter.
By relaying his daughter’s version on social networks, Brahim Chnina also attracted the attention of Islamist activist Abdelhakim Sefrioui. Both were received in the office of the principal of the college on October 8, 2020 to request the dismissal of the teacher. The two men angry “, as Brahim Chnina admitted, had then threatened to organize ” a demonstration of Muslims » in front of the college to denounce the alleged “ discrimination » suffered by the latter’s daughter.
The student was actually absent that day. Information that the director had but which she would not have communicated to him and that could have changed everything, he convinces himself. “ This could have kept Samuel Paty alive », declaration which made the ranks of the civil parties jump.
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