We will not taint Islam: Muslims refuse to bury teenager who killed priest

Muslims have refused to bury one of the teenagers who murdered a Catholic priest as he celebrated Mass. Community leaders in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray said they did not want to taint Islam by having any association with Adel Kermiche, the 19-year-old who killed Fr Jacques Hamel. Mohammed Karabila, president of the local Muslim cultural association and imam of one of the town’s mosques, said: “We’re not going to taint Islam with this person. We won’t participate in preparing the body or the burial.”

What this young man did was sinful, he is no longer part of our community

Khalid El Amrani

Muslims in the town were supportive of the decision. Khalid El Amrani, a 25-year-old technician, said he thought it was “normal” that the mosque would refuse to help with the burial. The mayor’s office will have the final say on whether Kermiche can be buried in the town. Kermiche and Abdel-Malik Petitjean, also 19, stormed into the 17th-century stone church on 26 July, taking hostages before killing the priest and seriously wounding another captive. They were shot dead by police as they exited the building using nuns as human shields.

Peace, it’s what we want … as long as there are bombs on Syria, we will continue our attacks. And they will happen every day. When you stop, we will stop

What the attackers told Sister Helene, one of their hostages