Tariq Ramadan’s defense points to gray areas in plaintiffs’ cases -

According to information obtained by 20minutes.ch, which cited AFP sources, Tariq Ramadan’s lawyers Yassine Bouzrou et Julie Granier, who were quick to denounce the “shadow of collusion” hovering over the two accusers (Henda Ayari and ‘Christelle’), filed a complaint against Caroline Fourest for “witness tampering.”

Contrary to previous claims, the two women were apparently in contact with one another several years earlier, and the investigation has recently found that they “shared regular contacts with several of the intellectual’s detractors,” fueling suspicion of collusion.

Even though, “according to an official statement obtained AFP, telephone records do not show any contact between Henda Ayari and Christelle between May 6 and November 6,” investigators uncovered “frequent communication with Fiammetta Venner, a close friend of Ms. Fourest (116 times by Christelle and 156 by Ms. Ayari), in the six month period.”

The wife of researcher Gilles Kepel, who is also a vocal opponent of the Ramadan, admitted at the beginning of December to having seen Christelle “‘eight or nine years ago’ in Paris, with a radio host from Beur FM.” After the meeting, Christelle met with Caroline Fourest and then appeared on television, where she debated Tariq Ramadan.

The radio host’s number also appeared on phone records: she was in contact with Christelle 151 times and 57 times with Henda Ayari in the period between May and November 2017.