“We all thought he was going to hit him. A fight, yes, but not that,” says one of the schoolchildren who had pointed out the teacher as the killer

Narrative Two of the teenagers already sentenced for having designated their teacher as a terrorist in exchange for a few tickets were heard as witnesses. They conceded, with apparent lightness but also a questioning obviousness, that they expected their teacher to be “humiliated”.

To go further

Disconcerting. All in all, this qualifier ultimately seems the most appropriate to summarize the testimony as witnesses, this Monday, November 18 in the morning, of two of the five students from Samuel Paty's college who were already sentenced last year before the juvenile justice system.

Karim*, now 18 years old, black Lacoste sweatshirt, wavy hair, somewhat dry appearance, was sentenced last December, before the children's court, to 24 months in prison including 18 months of probation. He was one of the first students, on the day of the crime, that the terrorist Abdoullakh Anzorov approached so that they could point out Samuel Paty to him. For a handful of 10 euro notes, Karim did it.

“I regret. I'm not going to lie to you: I made a mistake when I could have stopped it. I have lots of regrets. And I apologize to the family again”says the young man straight away, who is cited here not to be judged a second time but as a witness, “for information”. We must listen to her testimony, with its immaturity and frenzy irrigated by rumors from the college, in absolute contrast to the linear, calm and careful story that the principal of the establishment gave last week.

Filming him during his apology

With him, we are on the middle ground of the college, well above the banks of the Seine and the Oise of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, and on the edge of the residential areas, everywhere around. It's 3 p.m. this Friday of the All Saints' Day vacation, and Karim is waiting for classes to end to see his friends.

He doesn't say “the terrorist” more “the gentleman” who was “all in black”, “located not far from the college” and who “offered money in exchange for showing him the professor”.

“What does he say about Mr. Paty? »insists the president of the Assizes.
− That it wasn’t right what he didsummarizes the young man.
− But what does he want to do to her?
− Film him and make him forgive himself for what he did.
− That he apologizes?
− Honestly, we all thought he was going to hit him. I don't know how to tell you this. We, in 4^ewhen we fought, we filmed ourselves. We said to ourselves: “It’s going to be like that”.
− Did you think it was going to be okay until we found out?
− A fight yes, but not that. »

350 euros in small denominations

Karim swears: “Honestly, I haven’t thought about it. I saw the money »that is to say the 350 euros in notes of 10, given in two installments. The terrorist had come to avenge the prophet and did not hide it.

“Yes, he was talking to himself at one point. I didn't calculate it. I was focused on money. But he spoke like I said [dans ma déposition] : “It’s a dog who has soiled our religion”; “Wallah, that can’t be done, what Mr. Paty did, that can’t be done.” »

The debates, despite a few questions, do not make it possible to identify the « motivations » students and the reality of their feeling that it was necessary «punish» Samuel Patty.

In the exchanges with the killer, however, the question of blasphemy appears central. The schoolboy – who, as he recalls for a moment in a heartfelt cry, “was 14 years old, was in 4^e ! » – does not call into question the reasoning of the ” Sir “ the famous day of the events. However, he knows what it is. The controversy launched by Brahim Chnina – father of Z., who was one of his friends –, accused of terrorist criminal association, had arrived well in the world of the teenager: “It said that the professor had shown a caricature of the prophet naked. The video was turned into a story. I also shared it on Snap [réseau social Snapchat, NDLR]. On Facebook too, many people had shared it. »

An hour and twenty minutes with Anzorov on the lookout

Everything fits together with decidedly disconcerting evidence: “He had seen the video, that’s for sure. Otherwise, he would never have known, for this story”comments Karim regarding the presence of ” Sir “ in front of the college. “You stayed with this individual for an hour and twenty minutes. Would you have stayed this long if he hadn't given the money?asks a defense lawyer. What would you have done if he had just said: “I'm looking for Mr. Paty”? » Karim, spontaneous, utilitarian, light-hearted, replies: “Well, I would have told him “Go to school!”

With the second schoolboy cited as a witness, the questions remain just as heavy. Sami*, 18 years old, seems to be exposing a banality:

“Yes, he wanted to force him to apologize and humiliate him. He thought the teacher had insulted the prophet. He wanted to film it when he apologizes. »

Did he know that the controversy was based on an inaccurate rumor? Did he know that a video was circulating, adds one of the attorneys general. ” Oh yes, said the young man. That of Z.’s father! » He had seen it, he had shared it and he had believed it: “Since there was a video, it made things real. »

◗ * First names have been changed