The trial of Audrey Mondjehi, the main accused in the 2018 Strasbourg Christmas market attack carried out by Cherif Chekatt, saw a sentence of thirty years of imprisonment sought with a two-thirds minimum non-parole period. Mondjehi, 42 years old, has been accused of assisting Chekatt in obtaining the weapon used to kill five people and injure eleven others. He is the only one of the four accused who had contact with the attacker, leading to charges of terrorist conspiracy and complicity in terrorist acts. Chekatt, who had pledged allegiance to ISIS, was killed by law enforcement after a two-day manhunt.
Mondjehi claims to be “deaf, blind, mute, and amnesic,” but prosecutors have denounced him as a “more than zealous intermediary” for the jihadist. He has been accused of pretending to be ignorant of Chekatt’s radicalization and violent plans, with his lawyers presenting him as the “useful idiot” in the case. Despite his claims of ignorance, the defense attorneys for several victims argue that his actions show a level of complicity and knowledge of Chekatt’s intentions. The trial has been a platform for discussing the roles of the accused in leading to the terrorist attack.
Alongside Mondjehi, three other men, aged 34 to 39, are being tried for aiding the attacker in obtaining a weapon, with a lesser role. While the charges of terrorism are not being pursued against them, they face the prospect of ten years in prison. Despite their involvement being considered minor, the prosecutors argue that each of them played a decisive role in the events leading up to the attack. The trial aims to address the individual responsibilities of each accused in the context of the terrorist act.
The prosecutor has requested a five-year prison sentence for two other accused, who have been tried separately and are currently free after spending time in pre-trial detention. One of them knowingly acted as a connection between the arms dealer and buyer, while the other admitted to selling weapons to Chekatt through Mondjehi that were not used in the attack. Another accused, Stéphane B., who was charged with connecting the buyer and seller of the weapon used by Chekatt, has been recommended for acquittal as evidence shows he was not present on the day of these transactions. The final verdict in the case is set to be delivered on April 4.
