- Authorities charged four men in connection with the 2018 Strasbourg Christmas market attack.
- Charges range from "terrorism" to aiding in supplying weapons to gunman Cherif Chekatt.
- Mondjehi played a key role in helping Chekatt acquire the 19th-century revolver used in the attack.
Authorities have charged the accused with offenses ranging from "terrorism" to aiding in supplying weapons to the gunman, Cherif Chekatt, who police killed in 2018 after a 48-hour manhunt.
While shouting "Allahu Akbar" ("God is Greatest" in Arabic), he had opened fire on revelers at one of France’s most popular Christmas markets.
The trial, which began in late February in Paris, represents the latest legal process over the militant attacks that have hit France since 2015. Prosecutors accuse most of those in the dock of complicity because authorities often killed the actual perpetrators while they were carrying out their attacks.
On Tuesday, France’s anti-terror prosecution unit (PNAT) sought a 30-year prison sentence for Chekatt’s former cellmate, Audrey Mondjehi, on terrorism charges.
According to the prosecution, Mondjehi, 42, played a key role in helping Chekatt — a convicted criminal on a list of possible extremist security risks — acquire the 19th-century revolver used in the attack.
The prosecution asserted that he was involved every step of the way, providing details of an “intense” relationship with Chekatt in the months leading up to the attack.
“I think deeply and feel a lot of sadness for all the victims. All my life I will regret what happened,” Mondjehi, 42, told the court Thursday in his final statement ahead of the verdict.
“I would never have thought that he would have done that, I never thought that he was radicalized,” he said.
While acknowledging Mondjehi is “not innocent,” having admitted to helping supply the weapon, his defense team claims he was unaware of Chekatt’s plans.
This is a mitigating factor, argued his lawyer Michael Wacquez, saying Mondjehi should not be convicted of terrorism but only of “criminal conspiracy.”
The Daesh group claimed responsibility for the Strasbourg attack, and authorities found a video of Chekatt pledging allegiance to the group at his home.
But the interior minister at the time, Christophe Castaner, stated that the militant group was taking credit for an attack it had not planned.
The three other defendants — all in their 30s — are facing criminal conspiracy charges for their role in supplying weapons.
A fifth defendant, in his mid-80s, may be subject to trial at a later date after authorities dismissed his case for health reasons.
The prosecution requested five years in prison for both Christian H., accused of selling weapons ultimately not used in the attack, and Frederic B., who is on trial for passing the gun seller’s number to Mondjehi.
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