Anti-Semitic Marseilles Attacker Sentenced to Four Years in Prison

Farid Haddouche, who attacked three Jews on Shabbos morning, Oct. 24, in Marseilles, France, has been sentenced to four years in prison.

The Jewish Telegraphic Agency, citing a report from the France3 media channel, said that Haddouche, who stabbed a Rabbi and assaulted two other Jews – including the Rabbi’s son – on their way to shul, received an 18-month suspended sentence in addition to the four years in prison.

Initial reports had indicated that Haddouche was mentally unstable; however, the Rabbi disputed this assertion. “It’s because my son and I have beards and hats that he attacked us … he was not crazy,” said the Rabbi, in an interview with Actualité Juive, a French Jewish publication, shortly after the incident.

Hamodia has not revealed the names of any of the victims, out of concern for their privacy.

After a psychiatric evaluation, Haddouche was initially deemed unfit to stand trial, but he was later indicted.

In court testimony, Haddouche’s mother said that to the best of her knowledge, her son had no history of mental illness and was sane.