Watan-The Dean of the Grand Mosque of Paris, Shamseddine Hafiz, denounced the “racist and Islamophobic rhetoric” that leads to “extremely dangerous acts,” in response to a racist killing in France, where a Tunisian citizen, Hichem Marouani, was murdered by his neighbor on Saturday simply for being Tunisian. Hafiz described the act as “a terrorist crime.”
Victim’s family lawyer: The murder is the result of a climate that has prevailed in the country for months—indeed, years—and worsens by the day.
In a statement, the Dean of the Grand Mosque of Paris said:”In the face of this terrorist act, the Grand Mosque of Paris calls for an urgent and national awareness of the dangers of xenophobic, racist, and Islamophobic rhetoric.”
He added:”It is time to question the hate mongers who spread their poison across political and media spaces without consequence, leading to acts of grave violence.”
Far-Right Terror Suspected in Killing of Tunisian Man in France
In his forceful condemnation of the crime, Hafiz recalled:”Just weeks after the assassination of Aboubacar Sissoko in a mosque, the same blind and barbaric hatred strikes again.”
The victim was shot dead on Saturday by one of his neighbors. On Monday, French Senator Bruno Retailleau described the act as a “premeditated racist crime” with a “terrorist dimension,” especially since the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) took over the investigation. This marks the first time the PNAT has led a probe into an attack allegedly committed by far-right extremists on French soil.
That decision was made because, according to a source close to the investigation, the suspect published a message shortly after the crime containing “political demands” and “anti-immigration rhetoric.” The goal, the source said, was “to instill fear among the population.”
The suspect, “Christophe B.,” a 53-year-old metalworker, lived in the same town. On the night of the attack, he went armed to a neighbor’s house where a party was taking place, shot the Tunisian victim five times, and also wounded a Turkish man in the hand. He was arrested at the scene.
A 53-year-old suspect in southern France shot and killed a Tunisian man
The lawyer representing the victim’s family explained that one of the victim’s sisters lives in France while the rest of the family resides in Tunisia. He added, “If the Minister wants to meet with the family, he must take the initiative—it is the family’s choice to accept or not. Regardless, I believe it’s his duty to at least make the offer.”
He concluded that the crime was “a result of the toxic climate that has dominated the country for several months, if not years, and worsens day by day.”
“I don’t personally blame Bruno Retailleau,” he added. “But no one can deny the current political context and general atmosphere in France.”
He continued, “It feels like we’re watching firefighters ignite the blaze, only to return later pretending to extinguish it.”
