France teacher attack: Seven people to attend court over Samuel Paty's death

  • 2020-10-21 11:12:04
Seven people will appear before an anti-terrorism judge as part of an investigation into the beheading of a school teacher in France. Samuel Paty, 47, was attacked shortly after he showed cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad to his pupils. The attacker, 18-year-old Abdullakh Anzorov, was shot dead by police. Two minors as well as a parent who reportedly exchanged text messages with the killer are among those who will appear in court on Wednesday. Mr Paty was subject to an online hate campaign after he showed the cartoons in two lessons about free speech earlier this month. The campaign was allegedly launched by a father of one of his pupils. The 48 year old, who has been named in French media only as Brahim C, is accused of issuing a "fatwa" against the teacher. He is also reported to have exchanged a number of text messages with Mr Paty's killer prior to the attack, which happened close to the teacher's school in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine on Friday. The two minors who are set to appear in court are suspected of having taken money in exchange for information on Mr Paty. Sixteen people were arrested as part of the investigation, but nine have since been released.

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