Bissonnette's pain: the Muslim community disappointed and worried about orphans

Orphans from the Sainte-Foy mosque may come across their father's killer in the streets of Quebec in 20 years, deplores the Islamic Cultural Center of Quebec (CCIQ), which says it is disappointed with the Supreme Court's decision, but nevertheless ready to turn the page.

Bissonnette's pain: the Muslim community disappointed and worried about orphans

Orphans from the Sainte-Foy mosque may come across their father's killer in the streets of Quebec in 20 years, deplores the Islamic Cultural Center of Quebec (CCIQ), which says it is disappointed with the Supreme Court's decision, but nevertheless ready to turn the page.

• Read also: Mosque massacre: Bissonnette may request parole after 25 years

Community spokespersons "took note" on Friday of the decision of the highest court to invalidate the accumulation of sentences and to confirm the eligibility of Alexandre Bissonnette for parole after 25 years of imprisonment, either in 20 years.

"In our opinion, this decision does not take into consideration the atrocity and the scourge of the multiple murders which are multiplying in North America as well as the hateful, Islamophobic and racist aspect of the crime", reacted Mohamed Labidi , President of the CCIQ.

“Although we welcome this decision from the highest court in the country with disappointment, it allows us to close this legal chapter and we now want to focus on the future,” he continued.

A very real fear nevertheless haunts the families of the victims, that is that their children may have, one day that is not so far away, to accept the fact of living in a society where the murderer of their father is free.

The mosque assailant has orphaned 17, some of them very young who will be in their thirties when his plight comes to the fore.

“That is the greatest fear of the families of the victims. Maybe parole will delay this release a bit and it will take this fact into account, but that's our real fear, it's the orphans who will become men and women and who will see the killer of their father in front of the eyes, free”, confessed Mr. Labidi.

More details to come...

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