“Incitement to terrorism” investigation into Youcef Atal’s “Palestine” publication

Nice Algerian defender Youcef Atal is being investigated by the Nice prosecutor’s office for inciting terrorism after sharing allegedly anti-Semitic speeches by a preacher about the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The prosecutor of the Mediterranean city of France said that the footballer was the subject of a preliminary investigation after the controversy created on social networks by these messages, which were later deleted and for which the player publicly apologized.

In addition to advocating terrorism, the prosecution will also examine whether these messages constitute a crime of inciting hatred or violence for religious reasons.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERATION REACTED

The footballer shared a video in which a Palestinian preacher prays to God for a “dark day for the Jews” and asks him to support the “hands” of the Gazans who are “throwing stones” at Israel.

These messages provoked the reaction of the president of the French Football Federation (FFF), Philippe Diallo, who considered them “contrary to sporting ethics” and asked both the mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, and the French Jewish institutions, to carry out a investigation that could be a preliminary step for prosecution, which motivated his search.

“I WILL NOT SUPPORT THE MESSAGE OF HATE”

The footballer, who does not hide his support for the Palestinian people, apologized on social networks on Sunday, condemning “all forms of violence” and showing his solidarity with the victims. “I will never support the message of hate,” said the 27-year-old Algerian international, who has played for Nice since 2018.

Atal, who is currently training with his national team, was involved in a similar scandal in 2020 and had to apologize.