Priscilla Mangel, a 36-year-old from Nîmes, faces serious charges linked to terrorism following the assassination trial of Samuel Paty. A convert to Islam, she is accused of associating with the terrorist Abdoullakh Anzorov and making inflammatory social media posts. During her testimony, Mangel expressed regret for her comments and denied any intent to incite violence, claiming ignorance of Anzorov’s intentions despite their discussions. She now confronts a potential 30-year prison sentence.
Understanding Priscilla Mangel’s Trial
On social media, she was known by the poignant names ‘Sweet Scar’ and ‘Cicat s’, chosen in the wake of her partner’s incarceration. He was sentenced in 2020 to a hefty 14 years for ‘association with terrorist wrongdoers’. These names symbolized both the ‘pain of detention’ and the ‘love’ that binds them. In her personal life, she preferred to be called ‘Hasna’.
On Wednesday, December 11, during the trial for the assassination of Samuel Paty, the special assize court examined the case of the only woman involved: Priscilla Mangel, a 36-year-old from Nîmes. A convert to Islam since the age of 16, she has been under judicial supervision since June 2021.
Charges and Social Media Controversy
A mother of twins born in 2011 from a prior relationship, Mangel faces serious charges of ‘association with terrorist wrongdoers’, potentially leading to a 30-year prison sentence. The prosecution claims she retweeted information on September 1, 2020, regarding Charlie Hebdo’s plans to republish caricatures of the prophet Muhammad, remarking, ‘Apparently Charlie Hebdo wants more!’
Additionally, she is accused of engaging in covert social media exchanges with the terrorist Abdoullakh Anzorov, whose extremist ideology was apparent. The prosecution asserts that she framed Samuel Paty’s lesson as an example of the ongoing conflict between republican institutions and Muslims, potentially encouraging Anzorov in his violent intentions.
During her testimony, Mangel, with her large clear eyes and chestnut-colored veil, reiterated her denial of any radicalization. Speaking softly, she reflected on her controversial tweet about Charlie Hebdo. ‘I was always inclined to provoke, reacting emotionally whenever something offended me. I regret that statement deeply; I never foresaw the repercussions of my words,’ she admitted.
Mangel explained that she felt justified in expressing her views, equating her right to speak with that of Charlie Hebdo’s freedom of expression regarding their cartoons. She recognizes her statements as inexcusable and acknowledges her struggle with caricatures and blasphemy, even suggesting that penalizing blasphemy could be beneficial.
When discussing Samuel Paty’s lesson on freedom of expression, Mangel mentioned discovering a video of Brahim Chnina, the father of a student involved in the controversy, on social media on October 9, 2020. She claimed her motivation for sharing and commenting was based on perceived discrimination faced by Chnina’s daughter, not the caricatures presented by the teacher.
She expressed that she viewed school as a sacred space, incapable of inciting violence. However, on the same day, the terrorist Anzorov reached out to her, and their discussions regarding the lesson continued until October 13. Mangel even informed Anzorov that ‘no sanction’ had been imposed on the teacher.
In a chilling exchange on October 13, she conveyed to Anzorov, ‘Now things are very clear, no more pretext or excuse. They really want to eradicate the faith from people’s hearts.’ To which Anzorov ominously responded, ‘Yes exactly. By Allah, they will not succeed. If only they knew.’
These words did not raise any alarms for Mangel at the time. ‘Had I known his true intentions, I would have acted differently. I perceived our conversation as quite ordinary,’ she stated.
On October 16, 2020, she stumbled upon a horrific image of the decapitated teacher shared by Anzorov, along with his claim. ‘I was horrified, scared, and paralyzed by the image. I couldn’t even bring myself to read the accompanying text. I immediately unfollowed him and deleted my own account,’ she recounted.
Now absent from social media and facing a potential 30-year prison term, Mangel described the violence as ‘unimaginable’. When questioned by the court about her involvement in any conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism, she maintained, ‘I was completely unaware of Anzorov’s intentions. My only involvement was my reaction to the controversy. I realize now that I should have waited for more information to confirm the facts before reacting hastily. I never encouraged Abdoullakh Anzorov; I simply had no way of knowing,’ she concluded.