French couple face prosecution for trying to name their newborn son after notorious al-Qaeda killer

  • Couple want to name child after the al-Qaeda murderer Mohammed Merah
  • The jihadist gunned down seven people in Toulouse area four years ago
  • French couple at the centre of the row live in the southern city of Nice
  • 86 people were killed in the city on Bastille Day in an ISIS-linked truck massacre

By Peter Allen In Paris for MailOnline

Published: | Updated:

A French couple were today facing prosecution for naming their newborn baby after the notorious al-Qaeda murderer Mohammed Merah. 

The husband and wife, who have not been identified, live in the southern city of Nice, which was devastated by the ISIS-linked Bastille Day attack in July. 

Despite this, they want to name their son 'Mohammed Nizar Merah', after a 23-year-old jihadist who gunned down seven people in the Toulouse area in 2012.

A French couple face prosectution for naming their newborn baby after the notorious al-Qaeda murderer Mohammed Merah (pictured)

A French couple face prosectution for naming their newborn baby after the notorious al-Qaeda murderer Mohammed Merah (pictured)

Merah targeted Jewish children and Muslim soldiers, before he too was shot dead in his council flat by police

Merah targeted Jewish children and Muslim soldiers, before he too was shot dead in his council flat by police

Merah targeted Jewish children and Muslim soldiers, before he too was shot dead in his council flat by police.

The Jihadi threat has escalated considerably since then, and community leaders in Nice are deeply concerned by the child's provocative name. 

Now Jean-Michel Pretre, the Nice Prosecutor, has to decide whether the parents are breaking the law by apparently showing their support for terrorism.

It also has to be decided whether the child can keep the name, with Mr Pretre saying: 'What counts is the interests of the child. More than fifteen years ago it was possible to ban certain names. Now, all first names are possible, except when they threaten the child.' 

Officials at Nice City Hall made the original legal complaint to the prosecutor, with a spokesman saying that the name Mohammed Merah 'could be against the interests of the child' and amounted to an 'apology for terrorism'. 

On July 14 ¿ Bastille Day ¿ a Tunisian born local man called Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel drove a 19-tonne truck into a crowd celebrating the national holiday on the Promenade des Anglais

On July 14 – Bastille Day – a Tunisian born local man called Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel drove a 19-tonne truck into a crowd celebrating the national holiday on the Promenade des Anglais

On July 14 – Bastille Day – a Tunisian born local man called Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel drove a 19-tonne truck into a crowd celebrating the national holiday on the Promenade des Anglais.

A total of 86 people were killed, and some 434 were injured in the terrorist atrocity.

Lahouaiej-Bouhlel suffered from psychiatric problems, but he claimed a loose affiliation to ISIS before carrying out the crime, which ended with him also being shot dead. 

Christian Estrosi, president of the regional council that covers Nice, and a former mayor, said: 'While our city was hit hard by an attack this summer, and our residents are still shaken, it is unacceptable to deal with something like this.

'It is for this reason that we alerted the prosecutor so that he takes the appropriate measures to change this act of birth so that it is no longer an attack on our republic. 

'The city of Nice and its officials remain vigilant to all behaviour and acts which could be seen as an apology for terrorism.' 

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