French comedian Dieudonné guilty of condoning terrorism with Hebdo comment

A French comedian was found guilty Wednesday of condoning terrorism by posting a comment on his Facebook account relating to the attacks in Paris that killed 17 people in January, but he escaped a possible jail sentence.

The Paris court sentenced Dieudonné M'bala M'bala — commonly called Dieudonné — to a suspended sentence of two months in jail. He had risked up to seven years in prison and a potential fine of over $100,000.

Dieudonné wrote on Facebook just days after the attacks that he felt "like Charlie Coulibaly." That was a play on the ubiquitous "Je suis Charlie" (I am Charlie) slogan of solidarity after the attack against the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo; Amedy Coulibaly was one of one of the gunmen.

Coulibaly killed a policewoman and four civilians at a kosher supermarket the day after the Charlie Hebdo attack. He died in a shootout with police at the shop.

"The feeling of hostility toward the Jewish community that Dieudonné kept up in front of a public attracted by his charisma increases his responsibility," the court wrote.

Dieudonné, who was not in court on Wednesday, has been found guilty seven times for slander or making anti-Semitic statements, and his shows have been banned in some cities as a threat to public order. His lawyer declined comment.

The comedian, who insists he is not anti-Semitic, is credited with inventing the quenelle, a gesture critics have likened to the Nazi salute.

Dieudonné posted his Facebook comment on the eve of a huge public march in Paris in which more than 3.7 million people, many carrying "Je suis Charlie" signs, honored the journalists, policemen and civilians killed by the three gunmen.

Al Jazeera and Reuters