Islam versus Europe

Latifa Hachmi, before she was "exorcised"

Six Muslims have just been sentenced to various terms of imprisonment, although some received only suspended sentences, for having tortured Latifa Hachmi, a 23-tear-old woman, to death in Brussels in 2004. They believed the woman's body was inhabited by demons and were attempting to perform a rite of exorcism, known as "Roqya" in Morocco where it originated. The exorcism rites, which were led by Sheikh Abdelkrim Aznagui and the woman's husband, were performed repeatedly throughout the month of June 2004.

During this time, the woman was cut off from the outside world and given almost no food. In each session, she had her head forcibly immersed in a bathtub and was strangled and struck repeatedly with a "sacred rod" which, in reality, was the handle of a toilet plunger on which the "99 names of Allah" had been inscribed.

In the last session, Latifah fought desperately for her life, gripping her husband's beard fiercely, but her husband struck her and even sat on her to force her head under the water. When they couldn't revive her, they called the emergency services but it was too late. It was obvious, and those present acknowledged it, that she had been half drowned.

But above all there were extremely violent blows. On Latifa's body there were around a hundred bruises and haematomas. Combined with the near-drowning and strangulation, these blows were responsible for Latifa Hachmi's death.

There are rumours that the whole series of "exorcisms" were motivated by Latifah's apparent inability to have children.

The Sheikh still refuses to admit responsibility and continues to practise "Roqya" today.

If a rod is used during a Roqya, it is not to strike: only to localise the Djinns who react when you bring the utensil close to the part of the body where they are hidden.

...When Latifa was yelling under this shock treatment, he thought it was the Djinns, who had possessed Latifa's body, who were suffering.

Sources: La Libre, La Libre