프랑스 극우정당 국민전선(FN)의 마리 르펜 대표가 극단주의 무장단체 '이슬람국가'(IS)의 끔찍한 인질 참수 사진을 인터넷에 올렸다가 검찰의 조사를 받고 있다.
르펜 대표는 16일(현지시간) "이것이 다에시(IS의 아랍어식 표기)"라는 제목과 함께 IS의 참수 장면을 찍은 사진 여러 장을 트위터에 올렸다.
파리 서부의 낭테르 검찰청은 "르펜 대표가 폭력적인 이미지를 유포한 데 대해 조사에 착수했다"고 밝혔다.
르펜 대표가 올린 사진 가운데는 작년 IS에 참수된 미국 언론인 제임스 폴리의 시신 사진도 들어 있다.
미국 워싱턴DC에 사는 폴리의 부모는 "르펜이 정치적 이득을 얻고자 고인을 욕보이는 사진을 함부로 올려 매우 불쾌하다"면서 다른 사진과 함께 즉시 삭제하라고 요구했다.
폴리는 프리랜서 미국 언론인으로 지난 2012년 시리아에서 IS에 붙잡힌 뒤 지난해 참수됐다.
이날 아침 르펜 대표는 BFM TV의 앵커로부터 국민전선과 IS에 유사점이 있다는 지적을 받자 이런 트위터로 응수했다.
BFM TV 앵커는 르펜 대표의 이런 반응을 "히스테리"라고 일축했다.
르펜 대표에 동조해 다른 국민전선 의원 한 명도 르펜 대표가 올린 것보다는 덜 잔인한 IS 희생자 사진을 올렸다가 역시 당국의 조사를 받고 있다.
르펜 대표는 모두 130명의 희생자를 낸 지난달 13일의 파리 테러와 관련해 "IS를 정복하지 않으면 이슬람 전체주의가 우리나라에서 득세할 것"이라고 주장한 바 있다.
마뉘엘 발스 프랑스 총리는 트위터에서 "논란을 격화시키고 정치적·도덕적으로 실패했다. 희생자를 존중하지 않는 처사다"라고 르펜 대표를 비판했다.
베르나르 카즈뇌브 내무장관은 "그런 사진은 다에시의 선전 도구이자 희생자들을 모독하는 것"이라며 "이런 사진이 나올 때마다 경찰이 수사를 할 것"이라고 말했다. (연합)
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France’s Le Pen under investigation for tweeting grisly IS images
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen was under investigation Wednesday after tweeting graphic images of Islamic State atrocities, among them a photo of the decapitated body of US reporter James Foley.
The prosecutor’s office in the western Paris suburb of Nanterre told AFP it had launched an investigation into “the dissemination of violent images” over the National Front (FN) leader’s series of shock tweets.
The images were tweeted with the caption “This is Daesh” (an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State group) and showed Foley’s bloodied body with his decapitated head on his torso, a man on fire in a cage, and a victim being driven over by a tank.
Foley’s bereaved parents John and Diane said they wanted the images removed immediately, accusing Le Pen in a statement of using the “shamefully uncensored” image to her own political ends.
“We are deeply disturbed by the unsolicited use of Jim for Le Pen’s political gain and hope that the picture of our son, along with the two other graphic photographs, are taken down immediately,” they said.
Foley, a freelance journalist, was captured in Syria in 2012 and beheaded in August 2014.
Le Pen, who has over 830,000 Twitter followers, addressed the tweets to BFM TV journalist Jean-Jacques Bourdin, whom she accused of likening her party to the jihadist group.
Mainstream media largely refrain from showing any potentially disturbing or gruesome photos from such incidents.
The images were still visible on her account early Thursday.
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls described the photos as “monstrous”.
“Madame Le Pen: inflaming public debate, political and moral failing, non-respect for victims,” he wrote on his Twitter account.
Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve alerted the police to look into the tweets “as they do every time these photos are published”.
The photos are “Daesh propaganda and are a disgrace, an abomination and an absolute insult to all victims of. . . Daesh,” said Cazeneuve.
Le Pen was reacting to comments by Bourdin, whom she accused of drawing parallels between her party and the IS jihadist group in an “unacceptable bungle”.
Bourdin, during his morning show known for combative one-on-one interviews, suggested there were “links” between FN and IS.
In later remarks Bourdin dismissed Le Pen’s reaction as “hysterical”.
“At no point did I say the FN was like Daesh,” he insisted.
FN lawmaker Gilbert Collard also tweeted a picture of an IS victim, albeit one that was far less graphic than those posted by Le Pen.
“We are only showing the hate-filled ignominy of those who (compare) us with killers,” Collard, who was also placed under investigation, said by way of explanation.
Le Pen’s FN scored a record number of votes in regional elections on Sunday, boosted by concerns over the migrant crisis and terrorism, though the party failed to win control of any regions.
In the wake of the November 13 attacks in Paris that left 130 people dead, Le Pen warned that if IS was not conquered “Islamist totalitarianism will take power in our country”. (AFP)
