Common view of the church, within the background, the place a 85-year-old priest was murdered in an assault in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, Normandy, France, Tuesday, July 26, 2016. (AP Picture/Francois Mori)
PARIS --
4 individuals go on trial on Monday on costs of conspiring to commit a terrorist act in reference to the homicide of a Catholic priest inside a Normandy church in 2016.
Father Jacques Hamel was slain by two 19-year-old attackers as he celebrated Mass on a quiet summer season weekday within the small Normandy city of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray.
The Islamic State group claimed duty for the assault, by which two nuns and an aged couple have been held hostage earlier than the assailants slashed the priest's throat and critically wounded the opposite man. One other nun slipped away and raised the alarm, and police fatally shot each attackers as they left the church.
The 4 males happening trial are suspected of getting helped or inspired the assault.
Three have been current on the Paris court docket on Monday.
The fourth, Rachid Kassim, a Frenchman who was a infamous Islamic State recruiter, is being tried in absentia: he's believed to have been killed in a drone strike in 2017 close to the Iraqi metropolis of Mosul. He's suspected of getting used social media to encourage the assault.
Kassim had already acquired a life sentence in absentia three years in the past for having ordered a failed assault in Paris, by which two girls who pledged allegiance to the ISIS group blew up a automobile in 2016 close to Notre Dame cathedral.
The three different suspects within the Catholic priest homicide case every face 30 years in jail.
Jean-Philippe Steven Jean-Louis, 25, needed to go to Syria and travelled to Istanbul with one of many attackers, Abdel-Malik Petitjean. He allegedly knew that Petitjean meant to commit an assault in France and is accused of getting arrange a web based cash assortment website to assist finance the venture.
Investigators mentioned Jean-Louis had unfold IS group propaganda via a Telegram channel on which he inspired extremist acts.
Farid Khelil, 36, is Petitjean's cousin and is accused of getting understanding about and supporting the assault.
Yassine Sebaihia, 27, was in touch with one of many lifeless attackers.
The 92-year-old parishioner who was wounded within the church throughout the assault is attending the trial.
His partner, additionally held in hostage within the church, had instructed investigators the priest had been particularly focused by attackers as a result of "they instantly moved towards him and put him on his knees."
The decision is scheduled to be rendered on March 11.
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