France: Verdict Expected in Trial of Charlie Hebdo Conspirator- Update: Guilty- Life in Prison

Peter Cherif

Peter Cherif, a co-conspirator in the 2015 attack against the satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, has been convicted and sentenced to life in prison for his role in planning the attack in which 12 people were murdered. He must serve at least 22 years.

The below article from today's Le Figaro is translated by Fousesquawk. Please note that just as the translation was finished, the verdict came in, and the text of the link was updated and has changed considerably. At the bottom, I have added the translation of the updated headline.

Charlie Hebdo attack: Verdict expected in trial of jihadist Peter Cherif, associate of the attackers

By Le Figaro with Agence France Presse

Just posted

Caption: Peter Cherif, alleged associate of the Kouachi brothers, perpetrators of the attack against Charlie Hebdo in 2015 at the time of his extradition to France at the International Airport of Djibouti on December 22, 2018

The verdict for the person considered the "architect" of the Charlie Hebdo attack will come down this evening. The prosecution has asked for life imprisonment for him.

The Special Criminal Court of Paris is rendering its verdict Thursday evening in the trial of the jihadist Peter Cherif, the "architect" of the Charlie Hebdo attack in January 2015 according to the prosecution which has asked for life imprisonment for him. At the end of almost three weeks of trial, the court retired to deliberate in the late morning.

On Wednesday, the two prosecutors present at the trial requested life imprisonment for him, asking that a minimum of 22 years be served. The attorneys for Peter Cherif, in their pleas Thursday morning, denounced (what they termed) a "fixed match". For Attorney Nabil El Ouchikli, "the purpose of the public prosecutor,  is to eliminate Peter Cherif, and for that, we are all obliged to condemn him in relation to the attacks," in January 2015.

The 42-year-old defendant has been on trial since September for association with criminal terrorist criminals between 2011 and 2018, the period of his presence in Yemen with Al Qaida Arabian Peninsula (Aqpa). He is accused of having joined this jihadist organization, and in that framework, having participated with his childhood friend, Cherif Kouachi, in the planning of the attack committed January 7, 2015 against the satirical newspaper, Charlie Hebdo, in which 12 people were murdered.  Aqpa claimed credit for the attack.

"Maximum" danger

He also appeared in the 2011 organized gang kidnapping of three French nationals, members of the NGO, Triangle Generation Humanitaire, (which) lasted more than 5 months.

Even though he exercised his right to silence during most of the trial, Peter Cherif admitted being one of the jailers of the three humanitarians, having served as "translator" to interface between the hostages and their Yemeni kidnappers from Al Qaida. On the other hand, he denied having played a role in the attack against Charlie Hebdo.

On Wednesday, the prosecutors had asked that he be declared "guilty" of all charges against him, painting a portrait for more than 4 hours of an "integral jihadist" who was "the cornerstone of planning" for the attack on Charlie Hebdo, the danger of whom according to them, is still "maximum". 

*Update: The verdict is in. Life imprisonment with a minimum 22 years to be served.

Headline: Charlie Hebdo attack: The jihadist Peter Cherif is sentenced to life imprisonment.