Imam Mahjoub Mahjoubi was arrested at his home in Bagnols sur Cèze (Gard),
Le Figaro
learned from his lawyer Samir Hamroun, confirming information from BFMTV.
The person concerned, who is the subject of a preliminary investigation for advocating terrorism, is currently being moved to an administrative detention center in the Paris region, with a view to potential expulsion, also specifies his lawyer, who says, just like his customer,
“in shock”
.
The controversy surrounding this Tunisian imam erupted on December 18 when the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin requested the withdrawal of his residence permit with a view to expulsion, after the publication on social networks of a video of a sermon where, facing the camera, he describes the
“tricolor flag”
as a
“satanic flag”
which has
“no value with Allah”
.
Complex procedure
However, this expulsion procedure promises to be complex, given Mahjoub Mahjoubi's residence permit, which is valid until 2029. The law also provides that a foreigner can only be expelled in the event of " serious threat to public order.
It nevertheless provides for some exceptions, in particular for foreigners residing in France for more than twenty years, foreigners married to a French national and foreigners with children residing in France.