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Pakistani National Zaheer Mahmood Sentenced To 30 Years In France For Terrorist Attack Linked To Charlie Hebdo

A Pakistani national, Zaheer Mahmood, was sentenced to 30 years in prison by a French court on Friday for attempted murder and terrorist conspiracy related to a knife attack outside the former offices of Charlie Hebdo in Paris in 2020.

The 29-year-old Mahmood, who illegally entered France from Pakistan in 2019, was convicted for attacking two individuals who were taking a cigarette break outside the offices of the satirical magazine. Unbeknownst to Mahmood, Charlie Hebdo had relocated after the January 2015 Islamist assault that killed 12 people, including eight magazine staff members. The 2015 attack was attributed to two al-Qaeda-linked gunmen in retaliation for the magazine’s provocative caricatures of Prophet Mohammad.

The 2020 attack occurred when Mahmood, influenced by hardline Pakistani cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi and his Tehrik-i-Labaik Pakistan party, targeted individuals associated with Charlie Hebdo. Mahmood admitted that the magazine’s controversial caricatures had “fuelled his anger” and led him to the act of violence.

A video recorded by Mahmood before the attack, in which he stated, “I’m going to go and revolt against that,” was shared on social media. He and five other Pakistani men, including some minors, were tried for terrorist conspiracy. The court sentenced the other men to sentences ranging from three to 12 years.

Mahmood’s actions, and the subsequent court ruling, have rekindled discussions about the limits of free expression, with reference to the earlier Charlie Hebdo attack, which sparked global debates about freedom of speech, particularly in the context of religion.

Once Mahmood completes his sentence, he will be banned from entering France.


This case reflects the ongoing issues related to extremism, religious tensions, and global security challenges, with particular focus on the freedom of expression and the dangers of radicalization.

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