Imam Hassen Chalghoumi targeted by death threats, three investigations opened

Imam Hassen Chalghoumi, a slayer of Islamist fundamentalism, has been targeted since the death of Samuel Paty by exacerbated threats which are the subject of three investigations and he wishes to strengthen his police protection, we learned. Sunday from corroborating sources.

Hassen Chalghoumi, imam at the mosque of Drancy in Seine-Saint-Denis, whose representativeness is often contested in the Muslim community, is known for his positions against fundamentalism and his friendly relations with the Jewish community, which He earned criticisms and threats, widely relayed on the internet.

Threats "completely exacerbated" since the beheading of Samuel Paty

According to his lawyer, Me David-Olivier Kaminski, he has been the subject of threats "completely exacerbated" since the beheading in mid-October of Samuel Paty, professor of history and geography at the college of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine.

"He does not speak on behalf of Muslims but is one of the voices, and defends the values ​​of the Republic," said his lawyer.

Me Kaminski wrote on October 27 a letter to the head of state, revealed by Le Parisien and consulted by AFP, to ask for a "reinforcement" of police protection around his client.

Hassen Chalghoumi also filed a complaint three times at the end of October concerning new threats described as "extremely serious" by his other lawyer, Pascal Markowicz.

The imam had been the target of the pro-Palestinian collective Sheikh Yassin

Following these complaints consulted by AFP, three investigations were opened and entrusted to the Brigade for the repression of delinquency to people, said the Paris prosecutor's office on Sunday, confirming information from the

.

"One relates to facts of apology for terrorism and death threats, another to acts of provocation to the commission of an attack on physical integrity or life and the last on acts of threats of dead, "said the prosecution.

Following the assassination of Samuel Paty, Hassen Chalghoumi had gathered in the company of representatives of the Muslim cult of Île-de-France in front of the college where the teacher officiated.

Hassen Chalghoumi had notably been the target of the pro-Palestinian collective Cheikh Yassine, whose founder Abdelhakim Sefrioui, a radical Islamist activist, was indicted in the investigation into the assassination of Samuel Paty.

The collective had unleashed a cabal against this imam in 2010, demonstrating for months in front of the Drancy mosque.

Two members of the organization had even been sentenced to two months in prison for having tried to enter the home of the imam.