French authorities were on Sunday holding two Algerians who have wide followings on social media platform TikTok on suspicion of inciting terror, after they allegedly published posts urging acts of violence in France.
The arrests of the two men – in Brest in the west of France and Grenoble in the southeast – comes against the background of growing political tensions between Paris and its former colony.
A video blogger known as "Imad Tintin" was arrested on Friday outside Grenoble after publishing a video that urged followers to "burn alive on French territory. "
The post was taken down but hardline right-wing Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau published a video grab on his social media accounts, condemning the publication as "vile."
Residence permit
"Nothing will go unanswered," Retailleau warned.
The blogger, 31, is due to appear before a judge later on Sunday with a view to being charged and remanded in custody ahead of a fast-track trial on Monday, said regional prosecutor Eric Vaillant.
"Imad Tintin" entered France in December 2021 and applied for a residence permit in August 2023 after his marriage to a French woman. But his application was refused and he is also subject to an expulsion order.
He was arrested with his twin brother, according to a police source, who asked not to be named but who added that a search of their home revealed the sets used for the video which had more than 800,000 views. Prosecutors have not given details over the situation of the brother.
Risks seven-year jail term
In the other case, a 25-year-old Algerian identified as Youcef A. but known on social media as Zazou Youssef was remanded in custody on Friday in the western city of Brest, prosecutor Camille Miansoni said in a statement.
He will stand trial there on February 24 on a charge of "publicly advocating an act of terrorism", she said. He faces up to seven years in jail and a 100,000-euro ($103,000) fine if convicted, the statement added.
Zazou Youssef appeared in a video posted on TikTok on December 31, calling for attacks in France and violence in Algeria. The suspect was living in France on a temporary residency permit.
TikTok told AFP the account from which the video was posted had been banned for posting several videos that broke its rules on hate speech.
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