Imam's trial for "apology for terrorism" postponed to November 12

Hearing in a courthouse (illustration).

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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.

This imam, born in 1987 and officiating occasionally in a mosque in this city of Val-d'Oise since 2016, was arrested Thursday and taken into 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.

" To buzz "

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".

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.

• Terrorism

• Justice