The public prosecutor of Montbéliard, Paul-Edouard Lallois, announced that a 12-year-old boy was found guilty of glorifying acts of terrorism on Wednesday. Since December 2023, the boy, who had ‘significant predispositions’, had recorded more than 1700 videos of propaganda or massacres of a jihadist nature. He also exchanged them via several encrypted messengers.
During an almost four-hour closed hearing before the juvenile court judge, he admitted that he was interested in Islam and then came across Discord and Telegram-like chat channels. ‘He was able to participate in discussions that could be categorised as radical Islamism and told us several times that he had been recruited,’ said the public prosecutor, who had announced the initiation of proceedings against the child at the beginning of July. Due to his young age, the boy, who lives in Sochaux (Doubs), could not be placed under judicial supervision since then. He is therefore subject to provisional educational measures before the criminal sanction is pronounced. This will take place in seven months‘ time,’ explained the public prosecutor.
The boy, who is separated from his family, is currently being accommodated in a community juvenile justice centre, where he is being looked after and receiving educational measures. His parents, against whom no charges have been brought, live separately. The minor lived with his mother and other siblings. As an inconspicuous, introverted child, he had not attracted any attention either at school or outside of school, ‘neither as an accused nor as a victim’, as the magistrate explained. His internet activities attracted the attention of the investigators. Le Figaro