The main accused in the 2017 murder trial of police officer Xavier Jugelé on the Champs-Élysées was sentenced, Thursday, June 17, to 10 years in prison with a two-thirds security period by the special assize court of Paris, which ruled out the terrorist qualification.

The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office (Pnat) had demanded 18 years in prison against Nourredine Allam, 31, accused of having allowed the assailant Karim Cheurfi to "make his terrorist project a reality" by selling him the assault rifle used during the attack. attack on April 20, 2017. Karim Cheurfi was shot dead shortly after by police fire.

After a deliberation of more than eight hours, the five professional magistrates, including President Laurent Raviot, considered that "the mere fact of selling a weapon to a dangerous individual likely to kill police officers was not sufficient to characterize the qualification terrorist".

>> To read: France pays tribute to the police officer Xavier Jugelé killed on the Champs-Élysées

They also ruled that Nourredine Allam, convicted of criminal conspiracy, had "the means" to know that Karim Cheurfi was planning to kill police officers.

According to the prosecution, Karim Cheurfi's project was known in his district of Chelles (Seine-et-Marne), where Nourredine Allam also lived, and he was sentenced in 2005 to 15 years in prison for attempted assassinations on police officers.

"Impossible for a father of two" to participate in such an attack

The court also considered that the assassination perpetrated by Karim Cheurfi was part of a terrorist project even if the latter "could appear to be unbalanced".

Nourredine Allam, who denied the charges against him during the two-week trial, was the only one to be prosecuted under the terrorist qualification.

Invited to take the floor one last time Thursday morning, he camped on his positions, explaining that it "was impossible for a father of two children" to participate in such an attack.

"This trial was very difficult for me. I was cut off at the start (in his explanations, the first day Editor's note): I did not have to say the right words, (I) must have been clumsy . I would really like to offer my condolences to the family of the policeman, "he added.

Three other men appeared alongside Nourredine Allam.

Yanis Aidouni and Mohamed Bouguerra were respectively sentenced to six years and five years in prison for selling him the Kalashnikov.

The public prosecutor had requested an eight-year prison sentence against them.

Yanis Aidouni was prosecuted for acquisition, possession and transfer of weapons, Mohamed Bouguerra for possession and transfer.

The last accused, the only one who appeared free, was acquitted.

The assassination of Xavier Jugelé, three days before the first round of the presidential election, had hardened the end of the campaign and put the debates on the fight against terrorism back to the forefront while France had suffered in 2015 and 2016 an unprecedented wave of attacks.

With AFP

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