William Molinié / Photo credits: STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP 7:10 a.m., February 9, 2024

The law on separatism was promulgated two years ago, but a new modus operandi of radicalization has been brought to light by French intelligence. According to several sources from Europe 1, radical imams have found ways to circumvent the law, in particular by settling abroad.

DECRYPTION

A major trend is emerging before the eyes of French intelligence. While the law on separatism was promulgated two years ago, and several thousand checks took place in mosques in France, fundamentalist imams are now leaving the country to settle abroad. They understood that they risked prison if they went too far in their public preaching.

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It is now from the Gulf countries or French-speaking Africa that these Islamists are brainwashing young French people. Radical speeches are accessible online to anyone, from anywhere in France.

The two methods of recruitment favored by preachers

Concretely, these preachers proceed in two ways. The first is to offer online courses. A sort of teaching, according to them, to “authentic Islam”. Everything happens on the internet through live video conferences. You must obviously register in advance. For example, in a YouTube video, an imam explains how to leave France, described as a “land of disbelief”. The word is important because it is a key expression of Islamists.

The second way of recruiting this time takes place face-to-face. For example, preachers suggest a six-day trip to Medina in Saudi Arabia. The objective is to learn how to open a business in accordance with Sharia law. Everything is done to attract young people, with water activities, spa, football tournament... The all-inclusive trip costs 2,600 euros, and 1,000 euros for the first 50 registered. Meals are offered, and even a tasting of camel urine, particularly appreciated by Salafists for its supposed medicinal qualities.

Attracting young French people to mosques abroad

This goes even further because these radical imams also want to open mosques abroad, and bring young French people there. This is the case in Bamako, Mali. According to information from Europe 1, a 47-year-old French imam, well known to the intelligence services, has just bought land there. In the 2010s, he had already tried to get his hands on mosques in Ile-de-France.

Today, this man lives in Dubai. He is very close to several Saudi sheikhs, and he discreetly operates a recruitment network for young people from the Ile-de-France region. He sends them to train in radical Islam in Bamako. Some of the trainers are also registered in the file of radicalized people, the FSPRT.

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The limit of the law on separatism

Does France have the means to counter this phenomenon? In reality, this is the whole limit of the law on separatism: it only applies to comments or teachings delivered on French territory. And this helplessness is all the more worrying since these French-speaking imams have become real influencers on social networks.

On TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat, some have up to half a million subscribers. A new generation of young Salafists is being born, fed by their elders a negative image of French society.