French Interior Minister Appeals Court Ruling on Controversial Imam’s Expulsion

"I’m making it a matter for the Republic," responded Gérald Darmanin, who is having a hard time digesting the setback inflicted on him last Friday by the Paris administrative court, which suspended the expulsion of imam Hassan Iquioussen to Morocco.

"I personally regret the reasons and the decision of the Paris administrative court, which considers that this gentleman’s family life takes precedence over the protection of the interests of the French: I do not share this opinion and that is why I have appealed to the Council of State," the Interior Minister said on Monday during a visit to Marseille.

"But I am not one of those who get discouraged," Gérald Darmanin continued. "The enemies of the Republic cannot remain within the Republic," the minister further justified. According to Gérald Darmanin, Hassan Iquioussen "makes anti-Semitic remarks," "denies equality between women and men," "denies genocides" and "calls for considering that the attacks that have taken place on French soil were conspiracies."

For him, these are dangerous remarks that make the imam a registered S. "He is radicalized since the DGSI services have considered for 18 months now that he should be registered as an S," the minister added. "This gentleman has no place on the territory of the Republic [...]. He himself chose not to be French, he is of foreign nationality," he estimated, specifying that Hassan Iquioussen "does not represent the vast majority of Muslims in our country who love the Republic."

The Interior Minister is counting on the Council of State, whose decision remains crucial. "I await the decision of the Council of State with serenity. If they rule against us: we will study together the means to give the forces to the Republic to modify the law if necessary. So that the preachers of hatred who are not French have nothing to do on the soil of the Republic."