“
Muslims, wherever they are, are always ready to sacrifice themselves for their prophet.
"These comments, as well as others made in three videos posted on the social network TikTok last September, do they fall under the"
apology of terrorism
"?
Yes, according to the Pontoise Criminal Court, which this Thursday, November 26, sentenced their author, Luqman H, to 18 months in prison.
The prosecution had requested two years in prison.
Read also: An imam tried in Pontoise for "apologia for terrorism"
At the hearing, black quilted jacket and beard provided, Luqman H. claimed to be Sufism, which according to him calls to "
respect all religions and live in peace
" and teaches "
a message of love
".
"
Message of love, I want to, but we are a little far from what concerns us!"
», Launched the president of chamber 8-4 of the criminal court.
In one of the three videos with which he is accused, the 33-year-old Pakistani indeed congratulated the author of the attack in front of the former premises of Charlie Hebdo, which took place on September 25, in the midst of the January 2015 terrorist attacks ... "
In my opinion, this is the only video that praises an actor in an act of terrorism,
"pleaded Xavier Nogueras, the defendant's lawyer, who said that his client"
did not adhere to terrorist ideologies
".
“
I totally condemn those who do this.
I never took their side.
I never thought of congratulating this individual.
I slipped, that's not what I meant.
It was to create a buzz,
”said Luqman H. in Urdu, assisted by an interpreter.
“
It looks like it strangely!
We have the impression that you are celebrating it because it avenged the honor of the prophet
”, replied the president.
"
I did not find the adequate words, I apologize,
" resumed the defendant, who explained that he had also deleted the video of September 25 on the advice of some of his relatives.
This did not prevent the authorities from spotting him.
After being arrested and taken into police custody on October 1, Luqman H. should have been tried in court on October 5.
But on the advice of his lawyer at the time, Me Denis Lelièvre, he asked for a delay to prepare his defense.
The trial was then postponed until November 12.
That day, the hearing had once again been postponed, the defendant's new lawyer, Me Xavier Nogueras, being ill.
On November 26, the hearing was finally able to take place in the largest room of the Pontoise courthouse due to the presence of many journalists.
In an irregular situation in France
At the hearing this Thursday, before looking at the facts, the court first returned to the personality of the respondent.
Born in Pakistan on October 14, 1987 to a worker father and a stay-at-home mother, Luqman H. quickly entered a Koranic school where he learned the Koran “
by heart
”.
In 2011, he left his country to "
escape poverty
" and crossed Iran, Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, Hungary, Austria and Italy before arriving in France in 2015. He then settled in Villiers-le-Bel, where “
the Pakistani community is very important
”.
First hosted by “
friends
” he met in Greece, he worked as a painter in the building industry, then as a waiter in the restaurant business.
From the moment he arrived, he attended the city mosque, where he gradually took on responsibility, leading prayers and teaching children to read the Koran.
“
I have never been the official imam of this mosque.
I am portrayed as an imam in the media, but I am just a simple worker.
Anyone who knows how to pray can lead the prayer,
”he explained to the audience.
An official of this place of worship declared that a “
role of imam
” had been entrusted to Luqman H., and that the latter had never made any problematic remarks.
After the TikTok videos affair, this official asked the Pakistani to leave the accommodation belonging to the mosque he had occupied since 2018.
The court was also interested in the administrative situation of Luqman H. As
Le Figaro
recalled
before the hearing, the Pakistani is in an irregular situation in the Hexagon.
He was the subject of three obligations to leave French territory (OQTF) which remained a dead letter.
At the end of his sentence of 18 months in prison, he will have to leave France, decided the court which pronounced a definitive ban on remaining on French soil.
"It is impossible for the Republic to keep you on its territory"
in view of the comments made on TikTok, the president concluded to the accused.
