French Court Seeks Life Sentences for Absent ISIS Fighters in Landmark Trial

The five accused, physically present, rather received less heavy sentences. Against them, Benjamin Chambre, the public prosecutor, requested up to 15 years in prison at the Paris Assize Court, reports l’AFP. As for the 19 empty chairs, "it is the illustration of this extremism of men and women who left knowingly in a country at war," he hammered. For the public prosecutor, "their death, announced to their relatives by emissaries of the Islamic State (IS) organization, could not be taken into account by the French justice system".

Against all these "ghosts" of the case, Benjamin Chambre requested 30 years in prison. According to him, at this trial of absentees, we should not forget that the purpose of the sentence is above all "a security measure, to punish the jihadist commitment of individuals" and "protect against any possible returns". They are mostly French, Moroccan, Mauritanian or Algerian, who were between 20 and 30 years old when they left France, just before or after the January 2015 attacks against Charlie Hebdo and the Hyper Cacher store, recalls the AFP.

Converted to radical Islam in mosques in the Paris region or with mentors, these individuals are seduced by the jihadist propaganda, especially with the proclamation, in June 2014, of the "caliphate" which promises them "a status, a salary, a house and even women", explains the same source.