French jihadist Peter Cherif was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday for participating in a terrorist group. The 42-year-old is said to have contacted and assisted those responsible for the attack on the satirical newspaper “Charlie Hebdo” on January 7, 2015.
Cherif, who was part of the leadership of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), is said to have prepared his childhood friend Chérif Kouachi and his brother Said for the attacks in Paris in Yemen.
Twelve people killed in attack on satirical newspaper
The Kouachi brothers killed twelve people in their attack on the editorial office of ‘Charlie Hebdo’ in Paris on January 7, 2015. The two jihadists were shot dead by special police units a few days later.
Cherif was arrested in Djibouti, East Africa, in December 2015 and extradited to France. He denied any connection with the attack on “Charlie”.
Three Frenchmen kidnapped
The 42-year-old was also accused of kidnapping three French nationals in Yemen in 2011. Cherif admitted in court that he was involved in the hostage taking in Yemen and that he acted as an interpreter. The three kidnapped Frenchmen, who were working for an aid organization in Yemen at the time, were released after five months of captivity.
Source: Krone
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