Peter Cherif, accomplice in Charlie Hebdo attack, sentenced to life imprisonment
Jihadist Peter Cherif, recognized as a key player in the Charlie Hebdo attack, was sentenced on Thursday, October 3, to life imprisonment, with a security period of 22 years. This verdict was handed down after nearly three weeks of trial before the special assize court, which emphasized the seriousness of the facts and the dangerousness of Cherif, aged 42.
Accused of being one of the "architects" of the terrorist attack of January 7, 2015, in which 12 people were killed, Peter Cherif had joined the ranks of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in Yemen. He is also accused of having trained Chérif Kouachi, one of the brothers who carried out the attack against the satirical newspaper, claimed by AQAP.
In addition to his involvement in the attack, Cherif was convicted of kidnapping three French aid workers in 2011, whom he held hostage for more than five months in Yemen. During the trial, although he largely remained silent, he admitted to acting as a “translator” for the al-Qaeda kidnappers, but denied any direct involvement in planning the Charlie Hebdo attack.
The attorneys general have portrayed Cherif as a “full-on jihadist,” a central figure in the planning of the 2015 attack, and have said that his dangerousness remains “maximum.” They have asked that he be found guilty of all charges, and the court has followed these requests, convicting the defendant for his role in this tragedy that has scarred France and the world.