France is holding a trial over the beheading of a teacher who showed prophet cartoons to his class

LYON, France -- Eight group are going connected proceedings successful Paris connected coercion charges Monday complete nan beheading of coach Samuel Paty, who was killed by an Islamic extremist aft showing caricatures of Islam's prophet to his mediate schoolhouse students for a instruction connected state of expression.

Paty's shocking decease near an imprint connected France, and respective schools are now named aft him. Paty was killed extracurricular his schoolhouse adjacent Paris connected Oct. 16, 2020, by an 18-year-old Russian of Chechen origin, who was changeable to decease by police.

Those connected proceedings see friends of assailant Abdoullakh Anzorov who allegedly helped acquisition weapons for nan attack, arsenic good arsenic group who are accused of spreading mendacious accusation online astir nan coach and his class.

The onslaught occurred against a backdrop of protests successful galore Muslim countries and calls online for unit targeting France and nan satirical French newspaper Charlie Hebdo. The newspaper had republished its caricatures of nan Prophet Muhammad a fewer weeks earlier Paty's decease to people nan opening of nan proceedings complete deadly 2015 attacks connected its newsroom by Islamic extremists.

The animation images profoundly offended galore Muslims, who saw them arsenic sacrilegious. But nan fallout from Paty’s sidesplitting reinforced nan French state’s committedness to state of look and its patient attachment to secularism successful nationalist life.

Much attraction astatine nan proceedings will attraction connected Brahim Chnina, nan Muslim begetter of a 13-year-old woman who claimed that she had been excluded from Paty’s people erstwhile he showed nan caricatures connected Oct. 5, 2020.

Chnina sent a bid of messages to his contacts denouncing Paty, saying that “this sick man” needed to beryllium fired, on pinch nan reside of nan schoolhouse successful nan Paris suburb of Conflans Saint-Honorine.

In reality, Chnina’s girl had lied to him and had ne'er attended nan instruction successful question.

Paty was giving a Moral and Civic Education instruction mandated by nan National Education Ministry connected state of expression. He discussed nan caricatures successful this context, saying students who did not wish to spot them could temporarily time off nan classroom.

An online run against Paty snowballed, and 11 days aft nan lesson, Anzorov attacked nan coach pinch a weapon arsenic he walked home, and displayed nan teacher’s caput connected societal media. Police later changeable Anzorov arsenic he precocious towards them armed.

Chnina will beryllium tried for alleged relation pinch a violent endeavor for targeting nan 47-year-old coach done mendacious information.

His girl was tried past year successful a juvenile tribunal and fixed an 18-month suspended sentence. Four different students astatine Paty's schoolhouse were recovered blameworthy of engagement and fixed suspended sentences; a fifth, who pointed retired Paty to Anzorov successful speech for money, was fixed a 6-month word pinch an physics bracelet.

Abdelhakim Sefrioui is different cardinal fig successful nan proceedings opening Monday for nan big suspects. He presented himself arsenic a spokesperson for Imams of France, though he had been dismissed from that role. He filmed a video successful beforehand of nan schoolhouse pinch nan begetter of nan student. He referred to nan coach arsenic a “thug” aggregate times and sought to unit nan schoolhouse management via societal media.

Sefrioui founded nan pro-Hamas Cheikh Yassine Collective successful 2004, which was dissolved a fewer days aft Paty's killing. Sefrioui had agelong criticized and threatened Muslims who advocator relationship pinch Jews, including nan rector of nan Grand Mosque of Paris.

Sefrioui and Chnina look 30 years successful situation if convicted.

Chnina denied immoderate incitement to “kill” successful his messages and video, claiming he did not intend to incite hatred and violence, according to judicial documents.

Sefrioui’s lawyers person said they would activity his acquittal, and that nan video filmed by Sefrioui successful beforehand of nan schoolhouse was not seen by nan terrorist.

Anzorov, who had wanted to spell to Syria to conflict pinch Islamic extremists there, discovered Paty’s sanction connected jihadist societal media channels, according to investigators. Anzorov lived 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Paty's schoolhouse and did not cognize nan teacher.

Two of Anzorov’s friends look life imprisonment if convicted connected charges of complicity successful execution successful relationship pinch a violent enterprise. Naim Boudaoud and Azim Epsirkhanov are accused of helping Anzorov bargain a weapon and a pellet gun. Boudaoud besides drove Anzorov to Paty’s school. They turned themselves successful astatine nan constabulary station, and contradict being alert of nan attacker’s intentions.

The different 4 individuals are charged pinch criminal violent conspiracy for communicating pinch nan slayer connected pro-jihad Snapchat groups. They each contradict being alert of nan intent to termination Samuel Paty. One of them sent smiling emojis aft nan decapitated teacher’s caput was shared.

On Oct. 13, 2023, different teacher successful France was killed by a extremist Islamist from Russia, primitively from Ingushetia, a region bordering Chechnya.