nine of the thirteen defendants of the ultra-right Barjols group have been released

No pursuit. Nine members of the ultra-right Barjols group were released on Friday February 17 in their trial for having fomented a plan to assassinate Emmanuel Macron in November 2018, during the commemorations of the centenary of the November 11 armistice. Three others were convicted of criminal association with terrorism. Jean-Pierre Bouyer, a 66-year-old ex-garage man and former Barjols number 2, was given four years in prison, one of which was suspended; Mickaël Iber, four years’ imprisonment, two of which were suspended; David Gasparrini, three years, two of which are suspended.

These three men were arrested in Moselle on November 6, 2018, with a fourth man who was released. A fourth member was given a six-month suspended prison sentence, but only for possessing and selling a category C weapon, not for terrorism. At the time, the General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSI) feared an imminent action against the Head of State. This crackdown marked the beginning of investigations into this nationalist identity group.

“For remarks, I am incarcerated”

“I was hoping that we could have magistrates who have the intellectual honesty to recognize that this file (…) has been blown up”reacted Olivia Ronen, lawyer for Jean-Pierre Bouyer. “Nevertheless, this work has not been done or has only been done partially”she regretted. “For remarks, I am imprisoned. I have the right to speak!”Mickaël Iber told AFP. “It is a difficult decision to accept”, according to his lawyer Jennifer Madar. The councils of David Gasparrini, Fanny Vial and François Ormillien, have announced that they are appealing this judgment.

For the nine other defendants, the court concluded that there were many “preparatory acts”, including the possession of weapons, violent statements or files found on computer media, said President Thomas Jouck. Nonetheless, there is no “certain link” with some “violent action projects” which the defendants were accused of, against deputies, migrants or Muslim citizens, continued the magistrate, pronouncing the release.