Muslim leaders refuse to bury ISIS killer of French priest, says he is 'not part of their community'

Chiqui Guyjoco Tuesday, August 02, 2016

Muslim leaders in Normandy refused to bury one of the church attackers who killed a priest as they renounced him as a part of the Islamic community.

An undated photo shows French priest, Father Jacques Hamel of the parish of Saint-Etienne. Hamel was killed, and another person was seriously wounded after two assailants took five people hostage in the church at Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray near Rouen in Normandy, France, July 26, 2016 in an attack on a church that was carried out by assailants linked to Islamic State. | Reuters/Parish of Saint-Etienne

The Islamic tradition for burial rites dictates that the dead must be buried immediately and his burial arranged by the local Muslims. However, 19-year-old Adel Kermiche, who grew up in the town where he and his friend attacked a Catholic church and killed an 85-year-old French priest, would not be getting the traditional rites given to Muslims.

"We won't participate in preparing the body or the burial," Mohammed Karabila, an imam, told La Parisien, as reported by ITV News.

The president of the local Muslim cultural association added that they would still refuse to do so even if the young extremist's family makes their request.

"What this young man did was sinful; he is no longer part of the community," added Khalid El Amrani, a 25-year-old Muslim.

Kermiche and Abdelmalik Petitjean interrupted a morning mass celebrated by Fr. Jacques Hamel at a church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray on July 26. They filmed themselves as they gave a sermon in Arabic around the altar and then slit the throat of Fr. Hamel. Police shot them dead as they made their way out of the church, shouting "Allahu Akbar" or "God is great." The Islamic State terrorist group claimed responsibility for the church attack and hailed the attackers as their soldiers.

The Muslim and Catholic community in France responded by showing their solidarity as the Muslims attended the Sunday mass in Rouen.

"We are all Catholics of France," said Anouar Kbibech, head of the French Muslim Council (CFCM), according to BBC.

Mohammed Karabila, president of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray Mosque, said he considered it "very important" to be in Rouen.

"It should be shown physically, because until now the Muslim community did a lot of things that were not seen," said Karabila. "Today we wanted to show physically, by kissing the family of Jacques Hamel, by kissing His Grace Lebrun in front of everybody, so they know that the two communities are united."

Dominique Lebrun, the archbishop of Rouen, expressed his appreciation for the Muslim's gesture of fraternity and thought them sincere.

"That it's not Islam which killed Jacques Hamel," he told BFMTV.