Muslim community refuses to bury ISIS killer who murdered French priest
Community leaders shun ISIS killer Adel Kermiche, insisting they 'won't participate in preparing the body or the burial'
COMMUNITY leaders have refused to bury one of the terrorists responsible for the murder of a Catholic priest in France.
They said they did not want to “taint” Islam by having any connection with Abdel Kermiche, the 19-year-old extremist who murdered Father Jacques Hamel in Normandy.
Speaking on the decision, Mohammed Karabila, president of the local Muslim cultural association and imam, told : "We're not going to taint Islam with this person.
"We won't participate in preparing the body or the burial."
Mr Karabila continued, insisting the mosque’s religious leadership would not be involved in any funeral proceedings.
But he admitted if the mayor’s office were to ask the mosque to receive the body, and Kermiche’s family said they wanted a burial, his mosque would be obligated to assign someone to oversee the process.
Kermiche’s family are yet to indicate whether they will hold a funeral for their son.
Local Muslims have supported the community leaders’ decision.
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Speaking on the prospect, 25-year-old technician Khalid El Amrani said he considered it “normal” the mosque would refuse to help with the burial.
He said: "What this young man did was sinful, he is no longer part of our community.";
Kermiche and accomplice Abdel-Malik Petitjean, also 19, took hostages before killing Father Jacques Hamel and gravely wounding another captive.
The pair were shot dead by cops as they attempted to exit the place of worship, using nuns as human shields.
Franck Petitjean said: "I haven't slept in days. In three months ISIS brainwashed him."
Officials are in the process of interviewing three people in connection with the act of terror, and another 19-year-old man has been charged with terror offences as cops rush to find the two attackers’ accomplices.
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