Overview
- Brahim Chnina told the Paris special assize court he feels shame and deep regret, saying he was overwhelmed by a “tsunami” of messages and by the influence of Islamist activist Abdelhakim Sefrioui.
- Prosecutors noted he repeatedly shared Samuel Paty’s identity on Facebook and helped drive a denunciation campaign through videos and posts naming the teacher and the school.
- The court heard that the online furor launched by Chnina and then amplified with Sefrioui made the dispute go viral, which is how attacker Abdoullakh Anzorov learned of it before killing Paty.
- Chnina and Sefrioui were previously sentenced in the first instance to 13 and 15 years for terrorist criminal association over what judges called a “digital fatwa,” and Sefrioui is due to be questioned next.
- Two associates of Anzorov are also being retried after appealing 16-year terms for transporting him and helping him obtain weapons, with a verdict expected on February 27.