The man suspected of having attacked a taxi driver in Le Mans on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday was arrested on Friday July 19 in Yvelines. Known for radicalization, he is suspected of “attempted murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise”.
A two-day manhunt has ended. A 26-year-old man was arrested in Poissy (Yvelines) on the night of Thursday to Friday by the RAID and the Anti-Terrorist Sub-Directorate (Sdat) and was taken into custody by the latter in Levallois-Perret (Hauts-de-Seine). The suspect was reportedly arrested in an apartment “without incident”, cites France Infoshortly after midnight following the intervention of the RAID and the BRI.
The individual had been wanted since the night of Tuesday to Wednesday after the assault of a taxi driver in Le Mans (Sarthe). The facts date back to the night of Tuesday to Wednesday and justified the opening of an investigation for “attempted murder, kidnapping and sequestration in connection with a terrorist enterprise”, but also “terrorist criminal association with a view to preparing crimes against people”, leading to the referral to the national anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office (Pnat). The individual arrested is known to the police for his radicalization and is also the subject of an administrative surveillance measure, reports Le Parisien.
Assassination attempt and Hamas-friendly remarks
The 26-year-old man is suspected of having threatened a taxi driver with a handgun and forcing him to drive him to an isolated location in the town of La Ferté-Bernard. The suspect then allegedly forced the driver out of the vehicle and tied his hands and feet. He also allegedly injured the driver in the neck while trying to slit his throat with a butcher’s knife. The driver managed to free himself from his bonds and found refuge with local residents.
During the attack, the suspect allegedly made comments “favorable to Hamas and its Muslim brothers” according to the Pnat. He allegedly mentioned the situation in Israel and expressed a desire to attack the police. Investigators also feared that the 26-year-old man might commit an attack. The suspect’s custody could last up to 96 hours due to the potentially terrorist nature of his actions. The investigations were jointly entrusted to the Anti-Terrorist Sub-Directorate (Sdat), the West Zone Judicial Police and the General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSI).
Suspect released from prison
The man arrested is 26 years old and lives in Le Mans according to information from BFMTV. He is known to the intelligence services and has just been released from a stay in the Condé-sur-Sarthe prison where he was detained for three years until June 26. The man has served several sentences for common law offences. He became radicalised in prison and was taken into care by the radicalisation prevention service, the Pnat said. Since his release, he has been subject to individual administrative control and surveillance measures (MICAS), without being placed under house arrest.
In addition to the main suspect, seven other people close to the attacker, both men and women, were taken into custody. Two of them were present at the time of the suspect’s arrest.