They insist that they never financed terrorism, because money isn’t fungible.
“Two former Mediapart journalists sentenced for sending money to jihadists,” translated from “Deux ex-journalistes de Mediapart condamnées pour avoir envoyé de l’argent à des djihadistes,” Valeurs Actuelles, March 26, 2024 (thanks to Medforth):
This Friday, March 22, two former Mediapart journalists and a former jihadist lawyer were sentenced to suspended prison sentences of 10 months to three years. The latter allegedly transferred funds to members of the Islamic State, to help them leave the “caliphate” and surrender, according to them. The heaviest sentence was for the former lawyer, who was given a three-year suspended prison sentence. He admitted to having participated in the corruption of an Iraqi army officer in an attempt to spare the life of jihadist Maximilien Thibaut. If the ex-lawyer admitted corruption, he refutes the accusations relating to the financing of terrorism. He will still have to pay a joint customs fine of 10,000 euros, with the two journalists.
The latter, Édith Bouvier and Céline Martelet, were also sentenced to 10 and 12 months’ imprisonment respectively, with a simple suspended sentence. They are accused of having transferred funds to pay smugglers and thus “exfiltrate” several women from Syria and Iraq. Those who wrote an investigative book on French women who joined Daesh also took part in the rescue operation of Maximilien Thibaut. If the former Mediapart journalists admitted to having “stepped outside the scope” of their role, they maintain that they acted out of “humanity,” with the aim of “saving lives.” This Friday, they repeated “never having financed terrorism,” claiming to be “shocked by the severity of a judgment” which they consider unfair. According to their lawyer, Édith Bouvier and Céline Martelet will appeal.
Kenneth Johnson says
Helping women tkoescape Iraq should be alpplauded, not lunished. Ken
bagsgroove says
No wonder the French lost the war with the nazis. These two women who commited acts of treason by sending funds to the self declared enemies of France and the rest of the western world. If it had been during war time,they would have received more than slap on the wrist which didn’t even touch their wrists. What a tough sentence! A suspended sentence that does nothing to punish these two. Disgusting.
James Lincoln says
So, these two supporters of jihad received “suspended” sentences.
I’ll offer to buy the rope.
gravenimage says
France: Two journalists get suspended sentences for sending money to jihadists
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Were they really trying to save women who had–voluntarily–joined ISIS? Sounds fishy at best…