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France jails imam over Channel migrant crossings | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A French court has sentenced an imam to two years in prison for helping migrants try to cross the English Channel in inflatable boats. | A French court has sentenced an imam to two years in prison for helping migrants try to cross the English Channel in inflatable boats. |
The 39-year-old Iranian national was accused of arranging several crossings from northern France to England. | The 39-year-old Iranian national was accused of arranging several crossings from northern France to England. |
A 29-year-old Senegalese man who attended the mosque where the imam preaches also stood trial. | A 29-year-old Senegalese man who attended the mosque where the imam preaches also stood trial. |
He was given nine months in jail and was banned from visiting Nord and Pas-de-Calais for three years. | He was given nine months in jail and was banned from visiting Nord and Pas-de-Calais for three years. |
The imam, who has not been named in French media, fainted upon hearing his sentence. | The imam, who has not been named in French media, fainted upon hearing his sentence. |
The men admitted providing six or seven dinghies after they were arrested in April, French newspaper Le Figaro reported. | The men admitted providing six or seven dinghies after they were arrested in April, French newspaper Le Figaro reported. |
The investigation started in late March when life jackets, wet pullovers and a rubber dinghy were discovered on a beach in northern France. | The investigation started in late March when life jackets, wet pullovers and a rubber dinghy were discovered on a beach in northern France. |
According to the prosecution, the imam was in contact with organised gangs of traffickers and took a commission on the sale of each boat. | According to the prosecution, the imam was in contact with organised gangs of traffickers and took a commission on the sale of each boat. |
Police found two boats, three outboard engines and life jackets in the imam's house. The two men confessed to buying seven boats between December 2018 and April 2019. | Police found two boats, three outboard engines and life jackets in the imam's house. The two men confessed to buying seven boats between December 2018 and April 2019. |
The imam claimed he visited a shop in Deulemont, on the border with Belgium, to purchase dinghies for a person he identified only as Kamal. | The imam claimed he visited a shop in Deulemont, on the border with Belgium, to purchase dinghies for a person he identified only as Kamal. |
Both defendants claimed they only realised later that the boats were being used for illegal Channel crossings. | Both defendants claimed they only realised later that the boats were being used for illegal Channel crossings. |
"When I learnt that, I thought of the children on board and I told myself there could have been deaths," the Senegalese man told the court. The imam said he was "ashamed". | "When I learnt that, I thought of the children on board and I told myself there could have been deaths," the Senegalese man told the court. The imam said he was "ashamed". |
Prosecutors said their explanations "did not reflect reality" and that the Iranian national was often in the areas where the boats were discovered. | Prosecutors said their explanations "did not reflect reality" and that the Iranian national was often in the areas where the boats were discovered. |
There has been a recent spike in the number of migrants trying to cross the Channel in boats, despite the risk of dangerous currents, cold waters and collisions. | There has been a recent spike in the number of migrants trying to cross the Channel in boats, despite the risk of dangerous currents, cold waters and collisions. |