The declaration of the Tunisian imam Mahjoub Mahjoubi ignited the debates. In a video broadcast on social networks, he described the “tricolor flag” as “satanic flag”, arguing that he had “no value with Allah”. This position, without precision as to the target of his remarks, aroused a wave of indignation in France.
Reacting promptly, the French Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, announced that he had requested the withdrawal of the Imam residence permit in question, while expressing the expectation of his expulsion from the territory. He firmly pointed out that “any call to hatred will not remain unanswered”.
However, Linda Kebbab, secretary of the SGP Police unit, a French union revealed on CNews that “Imam Mahjoub Mahjoubi has minor children, so he will not be expelled from French territory”, thus introducing an element of complication in this case.
In a recent declaration, Mahjoub Mahjoubi’s lawyer, Samir Hamroun, denounced a political maneuver directed against his client. “The honor and dignity of a man are thrown into pasture,” he deplored, adding that “we want to use Mahjoub Mahjoubi to continue a fight”.
The French media also highlighted a previous report concerning the IMAM, linked to financial offenses related to the management of a mosque.
This case comes in a context where the French government, at the request of Emmanuel Macron, intensifies the fight against radical Islam. Indeed, a significant increase, of the order of 26%, of the evictions of jihadists, of which Tunisians, was noted in 2023.
