Wiesenthal Center: Halimi ruling spurs others — ‘Snort cannabis to kill a Jew!’

Reacting to a decision by France’s top court not to try the killer of Sarah Halimi, the Simon Wiesenthal Center says it is “profoundly distressed” by the ruling.

“This is a devastating blow,” says the center’s Director for International Relations, Shimon Samuels.

Kobili Traore beat Halimi and threw her out of a window while screaming “Allahu Akhbar.” But courts have found Traore was not responsible for his actions because he was high on marijuana.

Samuels says the court’s ruling “denies closure for the family and potentially creates a precedent for all hate criminals to simply claim insanity or decide to smoke, snort or inject drugs or even get drunk before committing their crimes.

“Tonight the murderer will be feted as a hero and frighteningly encourage followers to action… Snort cannabis to kill a Jew!’ he says.