The Saint-Brieuc mosque, in Côtes-d’Armor, would have done without this bad publicity. Three radicalized students were incarcerated on Saturday, December 7, due to their alleged involvement in a planned attack against the town hall of Poitiers. The disastrous project was even “at an advanced stage in material terms” when the General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSI) arrested the young men, who chose Poitiers to… take revenge for the battle of 732 which allowed Charles Martel to slow down the advance of Muslim troops on Frankish territory.
Above all, the three students aged 19 and 20 wanted “create revolt and civil war” et “establish an Islamic state” in France, reports Le Parisien. They were indicted for “criminal terrorist association” et “unauthorized manufacture of explosives in connection with a terrorist enterprise”.
The (very bad) surprise, a major one for the faithful of the Muslim place of worship, lies in the fact that one of the students involved is the son of the imam, who happens to be a respected man known for being moderate. Faced with the scandal, the Averroès association, which manages the mosque, spoke forcefully to defend itself and its religious framework from any link with the student. “It is important to emphasize that the imam of the Saint-Brieuc mosque has absolutely no link with the actions of the incriminated person, now indicted. Furthermore, the suspect no longer attends the mosque since he left Saint-Brieuc to settle in Nantes for university. she reacted in a press release posted on social networks on December 12.
“We would also like to remind you that the fight against radicalization is an integral part of the charter of our association. We actively work to promote values of peace, openness and respect, while raising awareness of the importance of rejecting any extremist speech or behavior.”insist the mosque officials, who call on the media to “increased vigilance” pour “avoid the stigmatization of religious communities through harmful shortcuts”.
