Jihad Boy Wears 9/11 Bomb T-Shirt To School

A woman and her brother have appeared in a French court after a three-year-old child named Jihad was sent to school wearing a T-shirt with the words "I am a bomb" printed on it.

The principal and teachers at the school in Sorgues, southern France, notified authorities after Boucha Bagour sent her son to classes dressed in the shirt.

Le Parisien reported that the words "I am a bomb" were inscribed on the front, and the words "Jihad, born September 11" on the back.

The expression plays on the popular French saying "Je suis la bombe", which translates roughly as "I am the best".

Ms Bagour, 35, and her brother, Zeyad Bagour, 29, were summoned to appear before the court after the school and local mayor complained.

Mr Bagour gave the shirt to the boy as a gift. He told the court he "had no intention to provoke or shock".

Speaking to the court, Ms Bagour defended herself, saying: "For me, this is the name of my son and his date of birth."

She also apologised to the court, saying she thought the shirt might "make people laugh".

However, lawyer Claude Avril said: "Idiocy is often the best alibi to hide the real intentions.

"The most scandalous thing is that they've used and manipulated a three-year-old child to voluntarily convey the words of a terrorist."

Ms Bagour and her brother are facing fines of ?1,000 (£860) and ?3,000 (£2,600) respectively if they are found guilty of any offences.

The case will be decided on April 10.