A year ago, as France was preparing to commemorate the assassination of Samuel Paty, another professor was murdered in front of his college: Dominique Bernard, 57, father of three daughters, and literature professor in Arras. A year later, the judicial investigation has entered its home stretch. Three people are indicted: a cousin and the younger brother of the assassin, and therefore the assassin himself, Mohammed Mogouchkov.
He is still alive, which is rarely the case in terrorist cases, and therefore able to explain his actions. His last interrogation was six months ago. And Mohammed Mogouchkov explained to the investigating judges the assassination of Professor Dominique Bernard, or at least his motivations: “He theorizes his hatred of Marianne, he always talks about Marianne“, explains Richard Malka, the lawyer for Dominique Bernard’s family, “his hatred of republican values, the right to abortion, homosexuality. For him, we are a degenerate people, he is a fighter for God“.
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“We are looking for hope”
According to his statements, Mohammed Mogouchkov would have prepared his attack a few weeks earlier. Elements, which will be dissected, one day, during his trial at the assizes: “For once, the assassin is alive, we will be able to question him, he will be able to express himself. You have to understand to be able to fight“, says Richard Malka. “And then, we look for hope, a reason to tell ourselves that all is not lost, including for these people who are going to be judged. Sometimes we can’t do it, and it’s hard. For the moment, given his statements, we have little hope“.
In addition to Mohammed Mogouchkov, two other people are indicted in the case: his younger brother, for complicity in assassination; and their cousin, aged 15 at the time of the events, and suspected of failure to prevent a crime. He is intended to be tried by a children’s court.
