Following Chérif's imprisonment between January 2005 and October 2006, he came into contact with Djamel Beghal, who had been sentenced to 10 years in prison in France in 2001 for his part in a plot to bomb the United States embassy in Paris.
Following Chérif's imprisonment between January 2005 and October 2006, "Le Monde" reported that he came into contact with Djamel Beghal. Beghal was sentenced to 10 years in prison in France in 2001 for his part in a plot to bomb the United States embassy in Paris.