The trial of the Pakistani imam of Villiers-le-Bel continued Monday in Pontoise for “
apologizing for terrorism by video
” is postponed to November 12 and he remains in pre-trial detention.
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This imam, born in 1987 and officiating occasionally in a mosque in this city of Val-d'Oise since 2016, was arrested Thursday, October 1 and placed in police custody as part of an investigation for "
apology for terrorism with the use of a telecommunications network
”.
The respondent, who works in a restaurant, filmed himself and posted videos on the social network TikTok, praising in particular "
the terrorist attacks against non-Muslims
".
He also praised the act of the Pakistani national accused of seriously injuring two people with a chopper outside the former premises of the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo on September 25.
Tried in immediate appearance, the imam who is subject to an obligation to leave the territory, asked for a delay to prepare his defense.
“
I apologize,
” the defendant said in Urdu.
"
It is the ignorance of French law that made me say these horrors
", he continued.
"
I made a mistake, my only motivation was to make the buzz
".
To read also: Val d'Oise: the imam prosecuted for "apology for terrorism" judged Monday
The respondent, with a clean criminal record, said he deleted his Tik Tok account.
He will be tried on November 12 at 1:30 p.m. before the 8th chamber of the Pontoise judicial tribunal.