A mosque in Valencia received an Islamophobic letter on Saturday in connection with the murder of young Thomas in the Drôme region, its officials said. "A good Muslim is a dead Muslim. Justice for Thomas," the letter reads, along with a Charlie Hebdo cartoon showing the naked Prophet Mohammed, Mustapha Laqli, spokesman for the Al Fourqane association, which runs the mosque.
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We filed a complaint this (Saturday) morning. We denounce these unacceptable death threats and we condemn the murder of young Thomas, there is no doubt about it, "said the spokesman, confirming information from France Bleu.
The young suspects accused of having participated in the violence that led to the death of Thomas, a 16-year-old high school student, fatally stabbed on the sidelines of a village festival in the Drôme, were taken on Saturday to the prosecutor's office in Valence at the end of their police custody. Nine suspects were arrested this week, including a 20-year-old believed to be the perpetrator of the fatal blows, according to the Valencia prosecutor's office.
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The Muslim religion does not condone such acts. It condemns them and we regret the conflation that is made between Muslims who apply the laws of France and these criminals who, if it turns out that they claim to be Muslims, do not represent the values of Islam in any way," the spokesman added.
Islamophobic Tags
Ultra-right activists who have been waging a virulent campaign on social networks since the tragedy have broadcast images of "spontaneous processions in tribute to Thomas with French flags", shot according to them in Valencia or posters on the same theme pasted in different cities of France.
Islamophobic tags were also discovered this Saturday morning on the walls of the mosque of Cherbourg-en-Cotentin (Manche) including death threats or "justice for Thomas, here we are in France".
On the night of Saturday to Sunday, a "brawl", according to the prosecutor's first words, broke out in front of the village hall of Crépol where a "winter ball" was being held bringing together about 400 people. Thomas was mortally wounded and died while being transported to hospital by emergency services. In addition to this death, the violence left eight people injured, including two young people aged 28 and 23 who were hospitalized in serious condition.