Georges Salines He was a doctor in Paris, Azdyne Amimour A Belgian merchant, when the lives of their children tragically intertwined on the evening of 13 November 2015 in the French capital. Lola Salines, 28 years old, dies under the jihadist’s blows during the Bataclan massacre. Samy Amimourhis peer, was part of the terrorist commando and is killed in a gunfight with the police that same night.
Establish which of the two fathers suffered a more deserving pain of understanding It may seem simple. But following this comfortable road, we would never have witnessed the birth of one of the most improbable friendships, capable of offering a deep lesson of tolerance, forgiveness and resilience. A testimony that the two men brought to the Catholic University of Milan today, during the meeting “Hop against all hope. The courage of dialogue after terrorism: Georges Salines and Azdyne Amimour tell each other”.
Just over a year after the massacre, Georges – now a public figure as a representative of the association of victims “13onze15” – He received a message from Azdyne in February 2017, who asks to meet him. When asked why, he replies: “Because I also feel like a victim.”
«For some time I was interested, participating in conferences, in the jihadist mothers. I had realized that they too lost their children, but when they were still alive. This is why I decided to try to consider Azdyne a victim. We must distinguish parents from the faults of their children. Prevent the horror of the attacks from turning into hatred towards Muslims It is, for me, fundamental », explains Georges.
But it is one thing to be interested in the mothers of the terrorists authors of other attacks, another is to meet the father of those who might have killed his daughter. Georges therefore decides to be accompanied by Aurélia Gilbert, survivor of the massacre and among the founders of the association.
Azdyne Amimour and Georges Salines witnesses of hope to the event organized by the Catholic University of Milan
“We saw each other for the first time in a coffee in Piazza della Bastiglia,” says Azdyne. “I wanted to explain to him that mine was not a family of jihadists, Tell him how Samy had grown up, the education he had received. I wanted to tell him that, after his radicalization, I had gone to Syria to look for him, to be sure I had done everything possible to bring him home. But I did not succeed ».
At the time Azdyne was writing a book, which however decided to abandon to write one together with Georges: “Words remain to us” (Giunti, 2022). “Now let’s talk, we confront, and yes, we quarrel just like friends do,” he adds.
Georges underlines that, although many have not understood or accepted his choice – And some even opposed it – Other parents of victims of terrorism, before him, had already taken the same path, meeting the parents of the attacks. And every time, he says, the balance was positive. His hope is that this experience can “infect”, inspire others to dialogue and the encounter.
Azdyne is no different. Often target of insults and verbal attacks Just to be a father of a terrorist, he says he is not afraid: «For character I have always been courageous. If I are attacked, I ask for the reason for hatred and I still try to establish a dialogue. What I did and I have an oxymoron and I do not feel I have any merit. I am simply done like this ».
