The Algerian jihadist group Jund Al-Khilafa (“The Soldiers of the Caliphate”) released a video this Wednesday, September 24th, showing the head of hostage Hervé Gourdel after his beheading. In a statement on the sidelines of the UN summit in New York, François Hollande confirmed that Hervé Gourdel had been “cowardly, cruelly murdered.”
The kidnappers, members of a group supporting the Islamic State (IS) organization, had threatened on Monday to kill their hostage if France did not cease its airstrikes in Iraq within 24 hours.
The worst feared has happened, and nothing can justify this horrific and unjustified act.
In memory of Hervé Gourdel, we can only utter as an epitaph the words: “Mors, virtus te sola daret” (death, you are the reward of virtue) — Pharsalia by M.A. Lucan, Roman poet.
The indignity of this barbarity must call for democratic vigilance, rallying, and national unity.
All political exploitation and sectarian interpretation must be avoided because the real objective of the extremists is to turn public opinion against dual-nationality Muslims or those living in Western countries, thus attempting to create chaos.
There were numerous reactions from institutions and political parties as soon as the announcement of this crime was made: Among them were those of Christian Estrosi (Mayor of Nice and Côte d’Azur Metropolis), Eric Ciotti (General Council of Alpes-Maritimes), Dominique Estrosi-Sassone (future senator), Patrick Allemand (PS 06), Cécile Dumas (PCF 06), and Jacques Victor (President of the PCF group at the General Council 06).
From the associative side, Philippe Vardon (Nissa Rebela) called on political authorities to react.
The mayor of Nice announced that a tribute to Hervé Gourdel would take place very soon and requested the President of the Republic to declare a national day of mourning.
