Four to face jury trial over priest murder

PARIS: Four alleged accomplices in the murder of a French priest four years ago by teenage Jihadists will face a trial by special jury, which in France is reserved for the most serious crimes, judiciary sources said on Friday.

Jacques Hamel, an 85-year-old priest, had his throat slit at the foot of the altar in July 2016 in an attack claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group. His two attackers were killed by police, and four others have been investigated for complicity in the killing. In a document seen by AFP, investigating magistrates said the four would face a special jury court, meeting a demand by prosecutors last month.