Glorification of terrorism, torturing a cat and insulting police officers: homeless man convicted 36 times and banned from staying in prison until his trial.
The 52-year-old homeless man Moktar B. is a regular at the criminal court in Montauban. He wears a shaggy pepper-and-salt beard, rimmed glasses on his nose and a light brown, stained parka.
The Moroccan national, who was born in Algeria and charged with public glorification of acts of terrorism and mistreatment of a pet, among other things, will be tried in summary proceedings on Friday the 12th of July 2024.
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The suspect, who was arrested by the municipal police for shoplifting, was intoxicated and insulted the officers. He also allegedly threatened them by saying: “Allah akbar! I’m going to blow you all up, you infidels (sic),” said chairwoman Anne-France Ribeyron.
At the same time, the operator of the Montauban town hall’s CCTV said he saw him playing football with a pet cat. The animal was entrusted to the animal welfare organisation. The man was taken into police custody and still had a blood alcohol level of 1.38 g after nine hours of sobering up.
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The magistrate also points out that the defendant has an extensive criminal record with 36 entries, including 31 convictions.
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Before the court recesses to deliberate, the defence lawyer protests against the accusation of glorifying terrorism. “This is a choice of words that plays into the hands of the extremists and is regrettable on the part of the public prosecutor,” rages lawyer Séverine Lheureux in her blunt manner.
“I don’t see what’s terrorist about the fact that he said ‘Allah akbar (God is great, in Arabic)’,” complains the defence lawyer. La Dépêche