FRANCE: Trial of gang murder of Jewish man continues behind closed doors
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REUTERS – A self-proclaimed gang of barbarians accused of kidnapping a young Jewish man in a Paris suburb, torturing him for 24 days and killing him went on trial on Wednesday.
The death of Ilan Halimi, 23, in 2006 horrified France and came to symbolise a rise in anti-Semitic violence in its poor, multi-ethnic suburbs.
The leader of the barbarians, Youssouf Fofana, smirked at Halimi relatives and shouted Allahu akbar! (God is Greatest! in Arabic) at them as he entered the courtroom.
The 28-year-old said he was born on Feb.
Bearded and wearing a white tracksuit, Fofana gave his identity during formal questioning by the judge as Arabs African revolt barbarian salafist army.
During his time in detention, Fofana, a young French man of Ivorian origin, has bombarded the magistrates investigating the case with letters full of anti-Semitic insults. 13, 2006, in Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois, the date and place of Halimi death.
He stands accused of kidnapping, sequestration, torture and murder. Fofana faces life in jail. The charge sheet also includes anti-Semitism, which French law considers an aggravating circumstance requiring the stiffest sentences.
Among the 26 other defendants are the girl who is alleged to have been used as bait to capture Halimi and young men accused of taking part in the abduction and guarding the captive.
Fofana has admitted all the charges against him except the accusation that he stabbed Halimi to death. Evidence will be given behind closed doors at the request of two of the defendants who were minors at the time of the crime.
RANSOM
The trial is scheduled to last 2-1/2 months during which 162 witnesses and 50 experts will testify. .
Halimi was kidnapped on Jan.
They held Halimi in a cellar in another suburb, tortured him until he was close to death, and then dumped him near a train station.
His kidnappers tried unfavourably to extort a ransom of 450,000 euros ($594,000) from his family.
Many in France Jewish community say there has been a rise in anti-Semitism among disaffected youths of Arab and African origin since a Palestinian uprising started in late 2000, because of feelings of solidarity with the Palestinians. He died in hospital shortly after he was found.
Several members of the gang of barbarians testified that Halimi was targeted because he was Jewish, which in their minds meant he had money and his community would pay to get him back.
Those feelings have mingled in the minds of some of these youths with older anti-Semitic stereotypes. From there he made death threats by telephone to Halimi father and girlfriend.
After the murder, Fofana fled to Ivory Coast.
anti-Semitism – France – ILAN HALIMI – murder – trial
. He was extradited to France on March 4, 2006