The main imam of the Bleuets mosque in Marseille, under threat of administrative closure because of his sermons, announced at a press conference that he was retiring for the duration of a university course on secularism. The police prefecture had demanded his permanent withdrawal.
The Figaro Marseille
He entered the mosque to the applause of the few faithful present. Smaïn Bendjilali, better known as Imam Ismaïl, announced on Monday that he had “decided to withdraw temporarily” from the Bleuets mosque in the northern districts of Marseille, where he was the main preacher.
The Bleuets mosque in the 13th arrondissement of Marseille has been threatened with administrative closure for three weeks by the Bouches-du-Rhône police prefecture. At the request of Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, police prefect Pierre-Edouard Colliex justified this threat by the imam’s sermons, accused of legitimizing violence, “defend a fundamentalist vision legitimizing the use of violence” and to make remarks “inciting discrimination against women”.
At a press conference, Imam Ismail announced a withdrawal “time to resume studies and obtain a university diploma on secularism”Obtaining this diploma, awarded by the University of Aix-Marseille for a period of nine months, was part of the proposals sent to the police prefect by the imam’s lawyers to avoid the mosque being closed, before Pierre-Edouard Colliex requested the latter’s withdrawal. “After I get this diploma, we’ll see how it goes.”concluded Imam Ismail during a press conference held this Monday.
Family drama
Imam Ismail justified this decision:“in order to preserve the structure” and because of the “family drama” he is going through, referring to the “problems” related to his son. The latter was the victim of a possible narchomicide a few days ago. Drugs were also found at the imam’s home. “I have been exonerated for the facts that I have been accused of in this case.”he says. Last week, the imam was also indicted for advocating terrorism and will be tried in this context on October 3. A decision that he described as“insult” at the end of this press conference.
In a letter revealed to the Figarothe police prefect had ordered the representatives of the mosque to separate, not temporarily, but “definitely from Mr. Benjilali, the only measure capable of avoiding the closure of the place of worship”When contacted, the police headquarters was unable to provide any further information on the subject at this time.
