Paris Terror Suspect Identified As Having Iranian Origin
A known Islamic extremist praising Islamic State has been arrested in France after an attack which killed one German tourist and injured two others in an attack "to avenge Muslims".
A known Islamic extremist praising Islamic State has been arrested in France after an attack which killed one German tourist and injured two others in an attack "to avenge Muslims".
The victim was believed to be a 23-year-old German-Filipino citizen according to France 24. A 66-year-old British citizen and a 60-year-old French national were also wounded and the suspect, only named as Armand R, is now being investigated "in connection with a terrorist plot".
Born in France to Iranian parents, Armand R, 26, was known for his radical Islamism and had psychiatric issues. The Paris prosecutor's office confirmed he was apprehended and tasered after fleeing the scene of the crime across the Seine.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin admitted that Armand R. had previously received a four-year prison sentence in 2016 for planning an attack that he did not execute.
Darmanin claimed that Armand R told the police that he could not tolerate the killing of Muslims in "Afghanistan and Palestine", blaming France for being an accomplice for the Israeli retaliatory attacks in Gaza following the Hamas invasion on October 7, which left 1,200 mostly civilians dead and 240 taken hostage. Israel's onslaught has since left more than 15,000 dead in Gaza and large swathes of the population displaced.
According to France 24, police and security sources claimed the attacker posted a video claiming responsibility to social media at the moment of the attack, speaking about "current events, the government, the murder of innocent Muslims".
In the nearly two-minute video, the attacker declared his support for Islamic State (IS) and pledged allegiance to its current leader Abu Hafs. The attacker claimed he acted “to avenge Muslims” and hailed the accomplishments of IS members. According to the report, he made no mention of Palestine or Gaza in the video.
