A French court handed heavy sentences on Friday to several men convicted of playing a role in the jihadist beheading of schoolteacher Samuel Paty in 2020, a crime that shocked France.
Paty, 47, was murdered in October 2020 by Abdoullakh Anzorov, an 18-year-old Islamist radical of Chechen origin, after showing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed during a lesson. Anzorov, the killer, died in a shootout with police.
Two of Anzorov’s friends, Naim Boudaoud, 22, and Azim Epsirkhanov, 23, were convicted of complicity in the brutal murder and sentenced to 16 years in prison.
The court heard that Boudaoud and Epsirkhanov provided logistical support to Anzorov, including aiding him in obtaining weapons for the attack. Epsirkhanov admitted to receiving 800 euros ($1330) from Anzorov to buy a real gun, although he failed to do so. Meanwhile, Boudaoud accompanied Anzorov to purchase two replica guns and steel pellets on the day of the attack.
The convictions highlight the far-reaching support network behind the tragic act, which left France grappling with the consequences of extremism and the loss of a beloved teacher.
