After Youcef A., known as “Zazou Youssef”, arrested Friday in Brest for advocating terrorism, another Algerian influencer was arrested this weekend. Imad Tintin, alias “Bledar de luxe” on TikTok, will be presented to a judge this Sunday with a view to an immediate appearance on Monday for “direct provocation to an act of terrorism”, indicated the Grenoble prosecutor's office. Who is this influencer? What are the links with “Zazou Youssef”? 20 Minutes takes stock.
What happened?
“Imad Tintin” was arrested Friday evening in Echirolles, near Grenoble, after publishing a video, since removed, calling for “burning alive, killing and raping on French soil”, according to an image captured by the minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, denouncing “vile” comments.
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He must be presented to a judge this Sunday at 2 p.m. in Grenoble with a view to his immediate appearance on Monday at 1:30 p.m., said public prosecutor Eric Vaillant. The prosecution will request his placement in pre-trial detention until the hearing, he said.
Who is this influencer from Grenoble?
“Imad Tintin” entered France in December 2021 and requested a residence permit in August 2023 after his marriage to a French woman. But this request was refused and he is also subject to an OQTF (obligation to leave French territory).
Aged 31, he was arrested with his twin brother, according to a police source who specifies that a search of their home made it possible to find the sets used for the video with more than 800,000 views. The Grenoble public prosecutor's office did not specify the situation of the twin brother.
What links between “Zazou Youssef” and “Imad Tintin”?
“Imad Tintin” supported Youcef A., known as “Zazou Youssef”, a second Algerian influencer living in France, placed in pre-trial detention until his trial on February 24 by the Brest court for apologizing for a act of terrorism, after calling for violent acts via videos.
“Zazou Youssef” and “Imad Tintin” have joined “the war waged in France by the Algerian regime” which mobilizes a “significant” number of influencers calling for “violence”, estimated Chawki Benzehra, an Algerian opponent who took refuge in France after having taken part in pro-democratic demonstrations against the government in 2019.
Our file on the apology of terrorism
“A campaign of terror is being launched on French territory by people supporting and claiming to be close to the Algerian regime,” he said in a publication on X.
Chawki Benzehra published videos of influencers threatening him “following the revelations [qu’il a faites] on Algerian influencers who incite violence” and who threaten “death and/or rape” to “a group of Algerian atheists who have fled the country”. He said he filed a complaint on Friday in Lyon for threats made by Imad Tintin in a video.
