Muslim leaders in northern France are refusing to bury the body of one of the jihadi attackers who stormed a church and slit a priest’s throat before being shot dead by police.
Adel Kermiche, 19, and Abdelmalik Petitjean burst into the church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray in Rouen on Tuesday during morning mass.
They took several nuns and members of the congregation before they forced 85-year-old Father Jacques Hamel to kneel at the altar before slitting his throat, while filming the incident on a mobile phone.
The pair were then shot dead by police as they ran from the church reportedly shouting ‘Allahu Akbar.’
Now, it has emerged that prominent Muslim leaders in the town of Rouen are refusing to bury the body of Kermiche, saying they ‘did not want to taint Islam’.
According to Islamic tradition, when a Muslim dies, they are buried as soon as possible in a ceremony organised by the local Islamic community.
The local Islamic community also helps to prepare the body for burial before it takes place.
But speaking to La Parisien, Mohammed Karabila, imam and president of the local Muslim cultural association, said they would not be taking part - even if they were requested to by the family.
He said: ‘We won’t participate in preparing the body or the burial.’
While Khalid El Amrani, a local Muslim, said it was ‘normal’ that they did not want to take part.
He added: ‘What this young man did was sinful; he is no longer part of the community.’
Meanwhile, one of the nuns who witnessed the murder of Father Jacques has spoken out saying the killers spoke about the Koran and even smiled during the siege.
The two nuns were in the church when the priest was killed and said the men appeared aggressive and nervous. Then, one of the attackers seemed pleased.
Sister Hugette Peron told Catholic newspaper La Vie: ‘I got a smile from the second (man).
‘Not a smile of triumph, but a soft smile, that of someone who is happy.’
One nun, Sister Danielle fled the scene and alerted the police, leaving Sister Huguette and Sister Helene Decaux, both in their 80s, in the church with the jihadists.
At one point, Sister Helene got tired and asked to sit down.
‘I asked for my my cane, he gave it to me,’ she said.
Then the men started talking about religion, asking the nun if she was familiar with the Koran.
‘Yes, I respect it like I respect the Bible, I’ve read several suras. And those that hit me in particular are the suras about peace,’ Sister Helene responded.
One of the attackers replied: ‘Peace, it’s what we want... as long as there are bombs on Syria, we will continue our attacks. And they will happen every day. When you stop, we will stop.’
Neighbours and acquaintances said Kermiche was ‘obsessed’ with going to Syria, where an international coalition including France is carrying out air strikes against the ISIS jihadist group.
‘Are you afraid to die?’ one of the attackers asked. The nun said no, then he said: ‘Why?’
‘I believe in God, and I know I will be happy’ Sister Helene said, as she quietly prayed to herself.
Then they started talking about God.
‘Jesus cannot be God and a man. It is you who are wrong,’ one of the men said. ‘Maybe, but too bad,’ Sister Huguette replied.
At that moment, she prepared for her own death, not knowing what was coming next. ‘Thinking I was going to die, I offered my life to God’ she added.
It emerged after the attack that Kermiche was already under police surveillance after twice trying to join ISIS in Syria.
But after spending time in prison in both France and Switzerland he was returned to live with his parents in Saint Etienne under bail conditions.
These conditions, however, allowed him to roam freely between the hours of 8.30am and 12.30pm.
Meanwhile it was also revealed that French security services had been sent a picture of fellow priest killer Abdelmalik Petitjean and were warned an attack was imminent four days before the church attack.
His photo had been widely distributed to police stations after the anonymous tip-off ‘from abroad’ on July 22. It was received with a colour photograph of Petitjean, and said he ‘was preparing to take part in an attack on national territory’.
Before carrying out their barbaric crimes, the pair recorded a video, in which they held up an ISIS sign and swore allegiance to the group’s leader, Abu Bakr al Baghdadi.
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that the funeral of slain priest Father Jacques is set to take place on Tuesday afternoon.
He will not be buried in his local St Etienne, however, but at Rouen Cathedral, according to a church diocese statement.