REPORTAGE
He should have left the territory in 2015. Always present on the French soil, one of the imams of Gonesse, where Mickaël Harpon, the author of the attack of the police prefecture of Paris, had his habits, defends himself. On the front of the mosque, Ahmed Hilali, stitched S, tried to respond point by point to the charges against him.
His obligation to leave the country was due to a family dispute with his ex-wife. His removal from the Sarcelles mosque is the result of problems related to the declaration of his income. Ahmed Hilali affirms it: under no circumstances is there a question of radicalization in his career.
"This monster betrayed the Muslims"
As for Mickaël Harpon, "this monster" according to his words, which he describes as someone discreet, praying at the mosque of Gonesse twice a day, Ahmed Hilali gets carried away. "I saw him as I see many faithful attending the mosque, I never spoke with him, I never exchanged contact information." The imam says "condemn" what this computer scientist of 45 did to the police headquarters in Paris last Thursday, killing four people. "This monster betrayed the Muslims, he betrayed Islam."
No contact with the police
Under the spotlight, Ahmed Hilali has received the support of the imam of Gonesse, Hassan El Houari. Saddened by the media image returned by his mosque, he reiterated his confidence to his colleague. "Do not you notice a problem somewhere?" he asks when he admits that neither he nor Ahmed Hilali have been contacted by the police. "I am very shocked when you tell me that this one is a 'radical'." The two imams hailed the speech of Emmanuel Macron, who said he wanted to fight "the Islamist hydra". They also promise to do everything for it.