Europe 1 with AFP / Photo credit: FETHI BELAID / AFP 6:54 p.m., March 29, 2024
The Council of State confirmed the expulsion of Mahjoub Mahjoubi on Friday. The Tunisian imam is the target of an investigation for advocating terrorism and radical preaching. He became known for a video in which he described the “tricolor flag” – without specifying whether it was the French flag – as a “satanic flag”.
The Council of State confirmed Friday the expulsion of Tunisian imam Mahjoub Mahjoubi, considering that some of his sermons incited discrimination against women and Jews. “Some of the comments made in public by the person concerned, in the context of sermons which had a certain audience, can be held to constitute acts of explicit and deliberate provocation to discrimination against women,” states the judgment rendered in summary proceedings.
The Council of State also mentions "acts of provocation to hatred or violence against groups of people" and in particular, "in the current international context, comments relating to Jews" as well as "those criticizing French society and promoting holy war. The imam of Bagnols-sur-Cèze, in Gard, was arrested and then expelled on February 22 to Tunisia. Seized in summary proceedings, the administrative court validated this referral on March 4.
Targeted by an investigation for advocating terrorism
The Council of State notes that Mahjoub Mahjoubi, being married to a Tunisian living in France with whom he had six children, "is not devoid of any ties to Tunisia", which means that expelling him does not contravene the respect for his family life.
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Mahjoub Mahjoubi, targeted by an investigation for advocating terrorism and radical preaching, was expelled shortly after his arrest. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin then denounced a "radical 'imam' with unacceptable remarks". This Friday, the tenant of Beauvau is enjoying “an important victory for radical Islam”.
Important victory against radical Islam: the Council of State has just confirmed on appeal the expulsion of the radical imam Mahjoubi. https://t.co/8xiOgWrz7O
— Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) March 29, 2024
He mentioned a “slip of the tongue”
The imam had become known a few days earlier for a video circulating on social networks in which he described the "tricolor flag" - without specifying whether it was the French flag - as a "satanic flag" which would not have “no value with Allah”. He then defended himself by evoking a "slip of the tongue", explaining that he was in reality denouncing the rivalries between supporters of Maghreb countries during the recent African Football Cup of Nations.