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A picture of Ilan Halimi, who was kidnapped and murdered by a gang in Paris. (Archives)
Last update - 00:00 05/03/2008
Jewish teen tortured in French town where Ilan Halimi was killed
By Daniel Ben Simon, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: anti-Semitism, Israel, France 

The incident of brutal abuse began at 10 A.M. on February 22. Mathieu Roumi, 19, whose father is Jewish, was strolling through his neighborhood in the Paris suburb of Bagneux, which has been the site of violent riots by immigrants in the past two years. The suburb became notorious as the scene of Ilan Halimi's 2006 murder, which horrified France.

Roumi ran into two youths he knew. They discussed a sum of money that he supposedly owed them. An argument ensued, after which they beat him and, with the help of a third friend, dragged him to a dark basement. The three assailants were joined by three other youths, all neighborhood residents and neighbors of Roumi.

For two hours the attackers tortured the young man. One shoved cigarette butts into his mouth, another took issue with Roumi's Jewish origin, grabbed correction fluid and scrawled "dirty Jew" on his forehead. The six men proceeded to scream at him and threaten that he would die the way Halimi did.
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They identified themselves as members of the "Barbarians," the same gang that kidnapped Halimi from his store, demanded ransom for his release, and when that was not forthcoming, tortured the 23-year-old over the course of three weeks. Moments after he was dumped on the street, Halimi died.

Roumi told police investigators that throughout his ordeal, his assailants employed measures with sexual and sadistic connotations. When the issue of his sexual orientation arose, one of them placed a condom on the tip of a stick and shoved it in Roumi's mouth.

"We admire Youssouf Fofana!" they shouted at him, referring to the leader of the gang that murdered Halimi. Fofana and 29 other suspects are on trial for abduction, torture and murder. If convicted, they can expect a life sentence.

Roumi's life was spared because one of the assailants, who owned the basement space, had to leave and take the key with him. Roumi was set free and returned home, battered and broken. When he got to his parent's home, they sent him immediately for a medical examination.

The next day Roumi went to the police. In a matter of hours, the six assailants were arrested. Most are in their 20s, two come from Muslim homes, two are "fully" French, and another two are African and Portuguese immigrants. They told interrogators that they had not meant to hurt Roumi.

Sami Gozlan, a former police investigator appointed by the Jewish community to monitor anti-Semitic incidents, visited the Roumi family the day after the incident.

"The family was in a terrible state," he told Haaretz Wednesday. "The father was weeping like a baby and couldn't believe that such a thing could happen to his son in France. The mother was also deeply upset. They told me that their younger children were forced to stay with relatives outside the neighborhood. Mathieu himself is still in shock."

"Sadly the lesson of Halimi's murder has not been learned," Gozlan added. "The fact that angry immigrant youth can kidnap a Jew in broad daylight and abuse him proves that the lesson has yet to be learned."

Jewish organizations condemned the attack and urged the authorities to increase police vigilance in mixed immigrant neighborhoods, where fear of attacks against Jews runs especially high.

Related articles:
  • 21 charged with kidnap, murder of Jewish man
  • Hundreds attend reinterment of murdered French Jewish man
  • Halimi murder sparks increased interest in immigration among French Jews
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      1.   Jewish teeen tortured 17:06  |  Shmuelshachor 05/03/08
      2.   It`s never racial 17:24  |  leon 05/03/08
      3.   Europe on the ropes 17:25  |  Joe Stein 05/03/08
      4.   "The attackers were of different racial backgrounds but..." 18:16  |  Genuine Tosefta 05/03/08
      5.   The only time it`s racial is when someone flushes the Koran 18:18  |  Gili 05/03/08
      6.   The bitter world of Jew hatred 18:18  |  Jack Klompus 05/03/08
      7.   Anti-semitic attack 18:30  |  David 05/03/08
      8.   Leon #2 18:38  |  Brad 05/03/08
      9.   "Dirty Jew" isn`t considered anti-semitic? 19:17  |  nunya 05/03/08
      10.   Where is Apartheid, Clickfool, Sullivan, et al 20:12  |  Lee 05/03/08
      11.   Failure of Modern Liberal Society 20:13  |  Bill 05/03/08
      12.   #4 Paul 20:44  |  Moshe 05/03/08
      13.   #11 `Where is...et al` 20:53  |  Colin Wright 05/03/08
      14.   THAT"S what Europe needs more" no go areas" Keep left apologising 20:57  |  PETER SM 05/03/08
      15.   The Arabist syncophants should move to Malmo with their daughters 21:01  |  PETER SM 05/03/08
      16.   Europe face huge problem 21:05  |  Thomas 05/03/08
      17.   Paul wood, #4 it shows idiot in dictionary your photo there 21:10  |  Robert/Montreal 05/03/08
      18.   How much do you want to bet? 21:28  |  Cletus E 05/03/08
      19.   How much do you want to bet... 21:29  |  Cletus E 05/03/08
      20.   Paul Wood - I hope some kids have some fun with you xx 21:30  |  A nice kid havin fun 05/03/08
      21.   Old Europe 21:54  |  Rafael Seabra 05/03/08
      22.   Joe Stein you are off the wall 22:28  |  American in Paris 05/03/08
      23.   Thomas #14 22:30  |  Olly 05/03/08
      24.   ANTI SEMITIC? HECK NO!!! 22:51  |  Brant 05/03/08
      25.   #18 As a Jew 22:53  |  Paul Wood 05/03/08
      26.   LEE: Where are Clickfool et al????? 22:57  |  Brant 05/03/08
      27.   PAUL WOOD 23:40  |  Brant 05/03/08
      28.   Paul Wood #4 & # 15 23:57  |  Avrum 05/03/08
      29.   As a Palestinian 00:01  |  Hussein 06/03/08
      30.   #4 & 22 Paul 00:08  |  Moshe 06/03/08
      31.   France are you Kidding 00:24  |  Shimon 06/03/08
      32.   "TORTURE is Fun" and the Clash of Civilisations is obvious 00:37  |  PETER SM 06/03/08
      33.   #21 Brant 00:46  |  Paul Wood 06/03/08
      34.   Muslim frenchmen 01:04  |  Mr.Smith 06/03/08
      35.   Future Settler 01:13  |  buggy 06/03/08
      36.   What Does That Scum Berg Have to Say ? 01:35  |  Tod Zuckerman 06/03/08
      37.   #19 singin in the rain 01:48  |  Panther Jet 06/03/08
      38.   American in Paris - living in the 7th, right? 02:18  |  Jeroen de Jager 06/03/08
      39.   This is despicable 02:58  |  Truth 06/03/08
      40.   I feel sorry for the French 02:59  |  natan 06/03/08
      41.   Future settler? 03:07  |  al-kafir al-yahudi 06/03/08
      42.   #24 Moshe 04:17  |  Paul Wood 06/03/08
      43.   Paul Wood #4 & # 15 04:38  |  Avrum 06/03/08
      44.   shmuelshachor or whatever 08:16  |  sam 06/03/08
      45.   WOOD"a police force whose head is a former Mossad Agent"? 08:31  |  PETER SM 06/03/08
      46.   to many.. 10:48  |  Tina 06/03/08
      47.   to Gili #5 12:45  |  arab 06/03/08
      48.   To Hussein #29 13:01  |  Ilan 06/03/08
      49.   Gangs 16:30  |  Yosemite 06/03/08
      50.   Bleak future, but oh well. 18:40  |  Edward H 06/03/08
      51.   Arab 18:54  |  Connie 06/03/08
      52.   islam , religion of peace....hmmmm right 19:23  |  don 06/03/08
      53.   This Torture is what the IDF does all the time 19:47  |  Avi 06/03/08
      54.   Immigrate to what Israel? 19:51  |  Johnson 06/03/08
      55.   # 9 nunya 20:31  |  Realistic Arab 06/03/08
      56.   Jewish tortured in French town 23:59  |  Jennifer 06/03/08
      57.   @53, houdy avi, your sources and facts please. i did serve 00:05  |  vladimir 07/03/08
      58.   Too bad Israeli leaders do not read this RIGHT ??? 05:56  |  M. S. 07/03/08
      59.   #56 - jennifer I have a little question for you 23:46  |  kat 08/03/08
      60.   # 47 Don`t gloat 22:19  |  CM 25/03/08
      61.   Situation in Europe 12:37  |  Usual Citizen 28/05/08
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