At the trial of the attack on Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, the general advocates requested Monday, March 7 from seven to fourteen years in prison against the three defendants who have been appearing for a month for “association of terrorist criminals” as part of their involvement in the assassination of Father Jacques Hamel, in 2016 in this city of Seine-Maritime near Rouen. Against the fourth defendant, tried in his absence, the Advocates General requested life imprisonment. Defense arguments will begin Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.
Fourteen years of criminal imprisonment, together with a security period of 2/3, were required against Jean-Philippe Steven Jean-Louis, considered to be the “master of propaganda” by the public prosecutor. A socio-judicial follow-up of five years is also required against him, with in particular an obligation of work and care and the prohibition to come into contact with people accused or convicted of jihadism.
Against Farid Khelil, 36, considered “the manipulator (…) who encouraged his cousin”, the Advocates General requested nine years of imprisonment, accompanied by a security period of 2/3. A five-year socio-judicial follow-up is also required with an obligation to work and care as well as a ban on coming into contact with people accused or convicted of jihadism. AT against Yassine Sebaihia, 27, “The Jihadist Apprentice”the general counsel requested seven years of imprisonment.
A fourth defendant, Rachid Kassim, 35, seen as the instigator of the attack but presumed dead in Iraq since 2017, was tried in his absence for “complicity”. The Advocates General requested life imprisonment with a 22-year security period. Rachid Kassim is “the black shadow of the file, the instigator”according to the prosecution.
These four men are on trial five and a half years after Father Jacques Hamel was stabbed to death in his church by two 19-year-old jihadists, Adel Kermiche and Abdel-Malik Petitjean. They also seriously injured Guy Coponet, who was attending mass. The two terrorists were killed by the police while leaving the religious building.
Farid Khelil, 36, is the cousin of Abdel-Malik Petitjean. He had exchanged with him to prepare a departure for Syria and had spoken of attacks by messages, but he hammered, throughout the trial, that he was unaware of the intentions of his cousin. He disputes, like the other two defendants, the facts of “terrorist association of criminals”.
Jean-Philippe Steven Jean-Louis, 25, admitted having tried to go to Syria twice with Abdel-Malik Petitjean and having been active on jihadist networks: he massively relayed Daesh propaganda and launched pots for help finance radical Islamism.
Finally, Yassine Sebaihia, 27, had gone to Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray from Toulouse to see the future attackers a few days before the attack. However, he assured during the trial that he just wanted to receive religious lessons.