Slaughter in the mosque: the spokesperson of the muslim community of Quebec relieved, but…

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The two main spokesmen of the muslim community, Boufeldja Benabdallah and Mohamed Labidi, admit to still stay on their hunger.

Taïeb Moalla

Wednesday, march 28, 2018 12:46

UPDATE
Thursday, march 29, 2018 08:14

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Relieved that Alexander Bissonnette has pleaded guilty, the two main spokesmen of the muslim community admit to still stay on their hunger. It is too early to forgive the shooter, they said in chorus.

“It is a relief. It has avoided a long legal process with the declaration of guilt. It helps relieve the whole community and especially the families of the victims,” responded Wednesday afternoon, Mohamed Labidi, a former chairman and director of the islamic cultural Centre of Québec (CCIQ), in a media scrum.

Photo Stevens Leblanc

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Even if “evil is done”, Boufeldja Benabdallah, president of CCIQ has also welcomed the fact “that instead as it lasts months and months, there will be sentences that will be done very quickly. We thank the justice, to have accelerated the process, while respecting the rules and laws”.

When asked whether it accepted the request for forgiveness of Bissonnette, Mr. Benabdallah said that “the request for forgiveness, this is not something easy. It does not happen like that overnight (…) Let the people first go through this grief and think about it. It is up to them to decide whether there is forgiveness or not”.

The six widows of the victims were present yesterday at the palace of justice of Quebec, but they have preferred not to speak to the media.

Photo Stevens Leblanc

“On our hunger”

Mohamed Labidi was also agreed that the motivations of the shooter may never be known, precisely because of the absence of a trial. “We stayed on our hunger with the declaration of Bissonnette. It was very short and there are no answers to the full extent of the tragedy that has been committed, he informed. We would have liked to have more development on it.”

Photo Stevens Leblanc

According to Mr. Benabdallah, the families of the victims “are still very affected and in shock. Many wept. Things are not ended for them. It is necessary that the award so before there was an egg and one has a part of serenity (…) They (the families) are not parties, very gay. They are the parties still affected”.

Hoping for a sentence of “maximum” and “copy” to Bissonnette, the president of CCIQ did not want to comment on the information according to which the shooter said he was in agreement with the american president Donald Trump to the effect of blocking immigration. “These parties are still legal. We can’t decide on these aspects there,” he remarked.

Photo Stevens LeBlanc

Aymen Derbali, a survivor of the massacre became a quadriplegic, has pointed out that the choice of Alexander Bissonnette is “save a lot of hassle” to the victims.

What we learned Wednesday

Excerpts from the denunciation of police, dated 6 February 2017, in order to obtain search warrants

On the evening of the drama, Bissonnette has made a call to 911 :

► He identifies himself as the shooter and said that he wants to make it

► He says that he will shoot a bullet in the head

► He said that he had a gun with him and that he has put it on the back seat

► He cries, says he had two guns, but he doesn’t remember anything

► He says that he will cooperate 100 %, that he is tired and that he wants the police involved

The mother of Bissonnette mentions to the police :

► Alexander remained at home with his parents for a week, given that he was very anxious and unstable

► That her treating physician has prescribed a new medicine, namely, the APO-Paroxetine

► That it would be in agreement with the words of Donald Trump to the effect to block any immigration