The trial of the eight accused in the murder of the French language teacher Samuel Pati has begun

Issued: 04/11/2024 – 08:07

2 min

Pati, 47, was beheaded on October 16, 2020, outside a high school in Conflans, northwest of Paris, where he taught history and geography.

His killer, Abdullah Anzorov, claimed he killed Pati to “punish” him for showing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad during a free speech class.

Later, 18-year-old Anzorov was shot dead by the police during an attempt to arrest him.

Before the attack, Pati faced a wave of online harassment after a class on social codes at Collège du Bois-d’Aulne.

A 13-year-old student who did not attend class said the class was discriminatory against Muslims.

Her accusations went viral, and the girl, along with five former classmates, were sentenced in juvenile court in December 2023 to 14 months to two years of probation.

Colleagues of the murdered teacher Samuel Petit are trying to solve the role of former students in the attack

“Target campaign”

Adults aged 22 to 65 will participate in Monday’s hearing.

Among the defendants are 52-year-old Brahim Chnina, the father of the girl whose claims caused controversy, and 65-year-old Abdelhakim Sefrioui.

Prosecutors allege that on October 7 and 8, Chnina published videos that stigmatized Pati and singled him out as a target, as well as accurate information about his identity and place of work

They claim that Chnina called Anzorov nine times. He and Sefriua face up to 30 years in prison if convicted.

Accusations of complicity

23-year-old Azim Epsirkhanov is accused of complicity in the murder of Pati because he allegedly helped Anzorov buy weapons.

The prosecutor’s office says that he and 22-year-old Naim Budaud took Anzorov to a cutlery store in Rouen to buy a knife similar to the one found near his body.

Budaud is also accused of having transferred Anzorov to Serzh outside Paristo purchase airsoft guns and steel balls on the day of the murder.

A French school will be renamed after a history teacher killed by Islamists in 2020

Yusuf Tinar, 22, is accused of spreading jihadist propaganda, including publishing a statement claiming responsibility for Anzorov and images of Pati’s body. He is also accused of distributing a video in honor of Anzorov after his death.

Another defendant, 22-year-old Ismail Gamaev, allegedly exchanged jihadist messages with Anzorov, encouraging his plans to attack Pati. Lukman Ingar, 22, is accused of being a member of the same online group.

The only woman on trial, 36-year-old Priscilla Mangel, is accused of convincing Anzorov that the attack on Pati was justified. Prosecutors say her online interactions with Anzorov inspired him days before the murder.

On October 14, nearly four years after Petit’s death and a year after another extremist killed teacher Dominique Bernard, schools around the world France students aged 11 to 18 were honored with a moment of silence.