The evidence works against him but Peter Cherif remains firm: he claims to have played no role in the attack against Charlie Hebdo. Tried by the specially composed Assize Court since Monday September 16 for criminal terrorist association between 2011 and 2018, the jihadist was close to the Kouachi brothers who carried out the shooting at the satirical newspaper.
“No, I did not participate in the preparation of these attacks with [Chérif] Kouachi,” he declared, adding that he was “not informed” of the plan of the attackers, shot dead by the police two days after the killing of January 7, 2015. “I condemn all attacks and that of Charlie Hebdo “, he also said. A little earlier, he had assured that he no longer adhered to jihadist ideology but dodged most of the questions which became more precise.
Refusal to answer
On his stay in Yemen between 2011 and 2018 or his role with his childhood friend Chérif Kouachi, the answer was almost always the same: “I will not answer your question. » At the opening of the trial, he contested all the facts with which he was accused. But on Tuesday, he caused a surprise by admitting to having been one of the jailers of the three French humanitarian workers.
This admission could give hope to the approximately 200 civil parties in this case that he would then deliver his explanations on the aspect Charlie Hebdo. A hope that remained in vain. Despite multiple attempts by magistrates, civil party lawyers and especially the exhortations of Peter Cherif’s mother, who called on her son in court to “give answers” to the victims, or the appearance at the bar of his former mentor , the former Islamist preacher Farid Benyettou, who now says he is repentant.