Attack at the prefecture: the truth of the false on the ex-Imam of Gonesse

For the past 24 hours, he has been the target of all opposition MPs: Ahmed Hilali, 35 years old, former imam of the Gonesse mosque (Val-d'Oise) frequented by Mickaël Harpon, the administrative agent who sowed the died at the police headquarters in Paris on October 3rd. This man described as "fundamentalist" had been targeted by a deportation order in 2015, since canceled. "How is it possible that a radicalized imam, and it is the intelligence services that say it, to whom is notified an obligation to leave the French territory in 2015, is still there in 2019? This is called a major malfunction, it's called a fault, "instigated MP (ex-PS) François Pupponi.

The same goes for Vice President of the RN, Jordan Bardella: "I fall from my chair when I hear the Minister of the Interior explain to us that a Moroccan imam, who preached the hatred of France and our values, could escape an obligation to leave the territory because he married and had a child. It's incredible! Without making a direct link, the elected officials are actually questioning the possible involvement of Ahmed Hilali in the radicalization of the former computer scientist 45 years.

Did he know Mickaël Harpon?

According to concordant sources, the former imam is by no means targeted at this stage in the investigation of the killing of the PP. "He was never followed by the DGSI in intelligence. It has never been a goal. We must stop this hysteria, "said a source close to the survey. Ahmed Hilali is not one of the two contacts identified as belonging to the Salafist movement discovered on Mickaël Harpon's mobile phone. Nor was he heard by the investigators about the actions of the administrative agent. For now, investigations have not uncovered any terrorist organization around Harpon.

On France Info and BFMTV, the ex-imam assured that he never spoke with the terrorist, at most he "shook hands" with the mosque.

What are its links with the Gonesse mosque?

From a security source, Ahmed Hilali served as the main imam – he delivered the sermons on Friday – from the Gonesse mosque between April 2017 and April 2018. Today, he plays only a secondary role, delivering a few daily prayers. The place of worship is now headed by Imam Hassan El Houari, a Frenchman of Moroccan origin unknown to the intelligence services, without any trouble with the administration, and whose sermons do not suffer any controversy.

Is he radicalized?

Ahmed Hilali defends himself in any case. "I have never been summoned by the police, nor by the general information, never," he said on France Info. According to our information, if the man is the subject of a sheet S, an intelligence tool, and not a proof of dangerousness. It is not listed in the Terrorism Radiation Prevention (FSPRT) record, and has never been followed by ISB. He was, however, dismissed from all the mosques where he worked by the local associations before Gonesse, including Sarcelles (Val-d'Oise) and Garges-lès-Gonesse. In question: problems of behavior related to sermons deemed too radical, he contests but also "to personal problems" type punctuality. "He was a money lover, and his management was tainted by suspicion," sources concordant. His first wife had also turned to the police, without filing a complaint, to complain that he was imposing a practice of Islam too rigorous.

Why was he not expelled?

The former imam, a Moroccan national, was targeted by an obligation to leave French territory (OQTF) in 2015 not because of radicalization but because he had no paper in good standing. This measure was nevertheless later canceled by the board of residence cards because Ahmed Hilali, initially untraceable, could prove that he took care of the child of his companion at the time. He then remarried and had his own son. The committee has therefore given a favorable opinion to its retention in France for family reasons.

Ahmed Hilali received for the first time a residence permit in 2019, valid until April 2020.