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Paris Trial Opens for Three Women Accused of Joining Islamic State
The trial of three French women accused of joining the so-called Islamic State (IS) group opened in Paris on Monday, shedding new light on the radicalisation of a family network linked to the 2015 Paris terror attacks.
The proceedings, which will continue until September 26, are being held at a special criminal court without a jury, as is standard practice in terrorism cases in France. The defendants — Jennyfer Clain, 34, Christine Allain, 67, and Mayalen Duhart — are accused of membership in a terrorist organisation and of endangering the welfare of their children by taking them to war zones in Syria.
The women belong to what investigators have called the “Clain clan,” a group of more than 20 family members who left France between 2014 and 2015 to join IS in Iraq and Syria. The family gained notoriety after Jennyfer Clain’s uncles, Jean-Michel and Fabien Clain, became key propagandists for IS and claimed responsibility for the November 13, 2015 attacks in Paris, which killed 130 people and injured hundreds more.
According to prosecutors, the defendants’ departure to Syria was the result of more than a decade of ideological commitment to Salafi-jihadism. They were arrested in Turkey near the Syrian border in 2019 and deported to France along with nine children aged three to 13. The children are now being represented in court as civil parties by SOS Victimes 93, an association that supports minors repatriated from conflict zones.
The women face serious charges. Prosecutors allege that by taking their children to territory controlled by IS, they exposed them to health risks, indoctrination, and violence. Jennyfer Clain and Mayalen Duhart are also charged with parental neglect, an offence introduced in French law in 2017 for parents who bring children into conflict zones.
The trial is expected to test whether the women were primarily victims of indoctrination or active participants in IS activities. Investigators will examine their roles within the organisation, their level of involvement, and any potential connection to IS operations.
Jennyfer Clain, described as deeply influenced by her uncles’ radical teachings, travelled to Syria in her 20s. Christine Allain, a former special education teacher who converted to Islam before joining IS, is accused of embracing extremist ideology later in life. Duhart, Allain’s sister-in-law, left France in 2014 with her four children to join the group.
Beyond individual responsibility, the trial reflects France’s broader struggle to prosecute returnees from IS territory. Hundreds of women and children were repatriated in recent years, often raising difficult questions about culpability, indoctrination, and rehabilitation.
For the court, the central challenge will be distinguishing between coercion and voluntary commitment to IS. A guilty verdict could set a precedent for future prosecutions of women linked to jihadist groups, while also determining the legal fate of children who were taken to Syria by their parents.
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Investigation Underway After Goa Nightclub Fire Kills at Least 25
Authorities in the Indian state of Goa have opened an investigation into a nightclub fire that killed at least 25 people, including several tourists, in one of the region’s most popular party districts. Six others were injured in the blaze, which broke out shortly after midnight in Arpora, a nightlife hub about 25 kilometres from the state capital, Panaji.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant confirmed the death toll in a statement posted on X, saying the victims included many of the club’s kitchen staff and a small number of visiting tourists. He added that all the injured were in stable condition and receiving medical treatment. Rescue teams recovered all bodies from the site.
Early reports from local police, cited by the Press Trust of India, indicated that a gas cylinder explosion triggered the fire. Witnesses, however, told the agency that the blaze appeared to start on the club’s first floor, where nearly 100 tourists were dancing at the time. As smoke and flames swept through the building, many people ran toward the lower floor, where they became trapped along with staff members.
Sawant said a formal inquiry would determine the exact cause and whether the club complied with fire safety regulations. He pledged strict action against anyone found responsible, writing on X that any negligence uncovered by investigators would be “dealt with firmly”.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as patrons attempted to flee the burning building. “We rushed out of the club only to see that the entire structure was up in flames,” said Fatima Shaikh, who was inside when the fire began.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences in a message on X, calling the incident “deeply saddening” and wishing the injured a swift recovery.
Local media reported that the club’s location along the Arpora River backwaters posed challenges for emergency crews. A narrow approach road forced fire engines to park about 400 metres from the entrance, slowing their response. Reports also revealed that the building had previously received a demolition notice after officials found it lacked a construction permit. That order was later withdrawn by senior state authorities, according to Arpora councillor Roshan Redkar.
Incidents involving gas cylinders and electrical faults are not unusual in India and often lead to heavy casualties, prompting renewed calls for stronger enforcement of safety standards. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the tragedy as a “criminal failure of safety and governance” and urged a transparent investigation to establish accountability and prevent future disasters.
The probe into the fire is expected to assess structural safety, emergency exits and compliance with existing regulations as authorities work to piece together how the late-night gathering turned into one of the deadliest incidents in the state in recent years.
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