Three Algerian social media influencers have been arrested in France on suspicion of inciting hatred and terrorism after allegedly publishing posts urging acts of violence.
A TikTok user called Imad Tintin was due to stand trial in a fast-track procedure on Monday over a now-deleted video in which he appeared to urge followers to “burn alive, kill and rape on French territory”. Prosecutors in Grenoble have accused him of “direct incitement” to commit an act of terrorism.
A second Algerian, known on social media as Zazou Youssef, was detained in Brest on charges of “publicly advocating an act of terrorism” in posts shared with hundreds of thousands of TikTok followers. The social media platform said the account had been banned for breaching rules on hate speech.
In a third case, the mayor of Montpellier alerted prosecutors to a video by TikTok user Doualemn, which allegedly called for torture and murder. The Algerian influencer was arrested on Sunday evening, local authorities said.
France's hard-right Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau warned that “nothing will go unanswered” as he publicised the arrests on social media. He shared a screenshot of what he said were “vile words” in Imad Tintin's video for which the Algerian “will have to answer in court”.
Mr Retailleau has pushed for tougher policies on immigration, radical Islam and violence against police since taking office in September. He said last year that his “hand will not tremble” in expelling those who preach hatred in France or shutting down extremist mosques.
French media said Zazou Youssef had more than 400,000 followers on his TikTok account and had threatened violence against opponents of Algeria's government. Imad Tintin had reportedly been denied a residence permit after marrying a French woman.
Brest prosecutor Camille Miansoni said Zazou Youssef, also known as Youcef A, will stand trial on February 24 over a video calling for violence in Algeria and attacks in France, where he was living on a temporary permit. He faces up to seven years in prison and a €100,000 ($103,000) fine if convicted.
The arrests come against a backdrop of tension between Algeria and its former colonial power, France. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Sunday he had “doubts” over Algeria's commitment to follow a road map set out by the two sides in 2022 to smooth postcolonial relations.
Tension has surged since French President Emmanuel Macron renewed France's support for Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara during a landmark visit to the kingdom last year. The territory is mostly controlled by Morocco but claimed by Algeria-backed separatists.
French-Algerian novelist Boualem Sansal, a major figure in modern francophone literature, has meanwhile been imprisoned by Algerian authorities since mid-November on national security charges. Mr Barrot told French television that Algeria's positions “make us doubt the intention of the Algerians” to stick to the road map on improving ties. “There needs to be two of us,” he said, as he described Algeria's basis for arresting Mr Sansal as “not valid” and said he was worried about the 75-year-old writer's health.
