Paris: A Paris court sentenced a 29-year-old Pakistani man, Zaheer Mahmood, to 30 years in prison on Thursday for attempting to murder two people outside the former offices of Charlie Hebdo in 2020. Armed with a meat cleaver, Mahmood carried out the attack under the mistaken belief that the satirical newspaper still operated from the building.
The attack occurred years after the 2015 Charlie Hebdo massacre, when two Al-Qaeda-linked gunmen stormed the publication’s offices, killing 12 people, including eight members of the editorial team. That tragedy ignited a global debate on freedom of expression and triggered the #JeSuisCharlie movement in solidarity with the victims.
Radical Influences and Motive
Mahmood, who illegally entered France in 2019 from rural Pakistan, was reportedly radicalized by Pakistani preacher Khadim Hussain Rizvi. Rizvi had publicly called for the execution of individuals accused of blasphemy. Motivated by Rizvi’s inflammatory rhetoric, Mahmood attacked two employees of the Premieres Lignes news agency, gravely injuring them.
During the trial, Mahmood’s defense lawyer argued that his actions stemmed from his disconnect with French society and his upbringing in a conservative Muslim environment. However, the court found him guilty of attempted murder and terrorist conspiracy, ordering his deportation after serving his sentence.
Victims Speak Out
The victims, identified only as Paul (37) and Helene (32), described the physical and emotional scars left by the attack. Paul, who underwent a long rehabilitation process, stated, “It broke something within me.” Both victims rejected Mahmood’s apologies during the trial.
Co-Defendants Sentenced
Five other Pakistani men, accused of supporting Mahmood’s actions, were sentenced to terms ranging from three to 12 years for terrorist conspiracy. Some were minors at the time of the attack.
A Dark Chapter in France’s History
The 2020 attack echoed the horrors of the 2015 Charlie Hebdo massacre and other extremist incidents that have plagued France in recent years. Following the republication of controversial cartoons by Charlie Hebdo in September 2020, violent protests erupted in Pakistan, and Mahmood acted on calls for vengeance against the publication.
