France teacher faces 'terror' charges over religious chants
French prosecutors have charged a 26-year-old school teacher on suspicion he translated religious chants into French for the Islamic State (IS) group, the national anti-terror prosecutor's office said this week.
The man was indicted on February 16th over alleged "terrorist criminal conspiracy with a view to committing crimes against people", the prosecutor's office said on Monday.
"He is charged with translating into French, singing and editing at least five religious chants promoting jihad and of sending them to members of the Islamic State group to be broadcast," it said.
The songs were found on his "personal digital equipment", it said. He is being held in detention.
A source close to the case, who asked to remain anonymous, said the teacher's home was searched in December, leading to an investigation being launched.
Le Parisien newspaper said the man, a Franco-Algerian, was a primary school teacher in the Parisian suburb of Drancy.
It said he was "suspected of privately disseminating jihadist propaganda" online.
Hundreds of French men and women joined the ranks of IS after it seized large swathes of Syria and Iraq in 2014, before its territorial defeat in 2019.
IS followers have claimed responsibility for devastating attacks in France over the last decade.
They include the worst jihadist attack in French history, which took place in November 2015 in and around Paris and left 130 people dead.
Comments
See Also
The man was indicted on February 16th over alleged "terrorist criminal conspiracy with a view to committing crimes against people", the prosecutor's office said on Monday.
"He is charged with translating into French, singing and editing at least five religious chants promoting jihad and of sending them to members of the Islamic State group to be broadcast," it said.
The songs were found on his "personal digital equipment", it said. He is being held in detention.
A source close to the case, who asked to remain anonymous, said the teacher's home was searched in December, leading to an investigation being launched.
Le Parisien newspaper said the man, a Franco-Algerian, was a primary school teacher in the Parisian suburb of Drancy.
It said he was "suspected of privately disseminating jihadist propaganda" online.
Hundreds of French men and women joined the ranks of IS after it seized large swathes of Syria and Iraq in 2014, before its territorial defeat in 2019.
IS followers have claimed responsibility for devastating attacks in France over the last decade.
They include the worst jihadist attack in French history, which took place in November 2015 in and around Paris and left 130 people dead.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.