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Who is Audrey Mondjehi? French Court sentences Christmas market attack plotter to 30 years in jail
Audrey Mondjehi, a key figure in the tragic events surrounding the 2018 attack on the Strasbourg Christmas market in France, has been given a 30-year prison sentence.
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Audrey Mondjehi sentenced to 30 years for aiding Christmas market attacker in Strasbourg
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Mondjehi's involvement in assisting Cherif Chekatt drew attention during trial proceedings
Trigger Warning: This article contains references to a terrorist attack.
Audrey Mondjehi has been sentenced to 30 years in prison by a French court for his assistance to an Islamist militant who carried out a deadly attack on a Strasbourg Christmas market in 2018, as per BBC.
Mondjehi, 42, an Ivory Coast native, was named the principal defendant out of four people charged with backing the terrorist Cherif Chekatt, who caused the tragic event.
Involvement in the attack
The prosecution claimed that Mondjehi was instrumental in enabling Chekatt to obtain a gun, which was an integral part of the horrific attack that resulted in the deaths of five people and numerous injuries.
On December 11, 2018, Chekatt opened fire and stabbed unwary customers at the busy Christmas market, causing tremors throughout the eastern city of Strasbourg.
Even though he was found not guilty of participating in the "terrorist murders," Mondjehi received a 30-year prison sentence. The court found that although Mondjehi helped Chekatt acquire the weapon, he was unaware of the precise purposes for which it was intended to be used.
Two of Mondjehi's co-defendants, who were found guilty of supporting Chekatt in insignificant ways, were given shorter prison sentences; the third defendant was found not guilty.
Personal connection to the attacker
Mondjehi's relationship with Chekatt—a former cellmate—was closely examined throughout the trial. Their close association prior to the fateful attack on the Christmas market was disclosed to the court. Despite this, Mondjehi remained skeptical of Chekatt's radicalization and expressed deep remorse for the unfortunate events.
"I think deeply and feel a lot of sadness for all the victims. All my life, I will regret what happened," Mondjehi told the court in his final statements, considering the depressing fallout from the attack.
The ongoing legal response by France to the jihadist attacks that have afflicted the nation since 2015 includes this trial. As the majority of the perpetrators have been neutralized, the nation's commitment to fighting terrorism and guaranteeing justice for victims and their families has been identified by the judicial scrutiny of accomplices.
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