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French police killer seemed calm before attack, says mosque rector French police killer seemed calm before attack, says mosque rector
(about 4 hours later)
Hours before killing two French police officers in front of their three-year-old son, Larossi Abballa was in his local mosque reading the Qur’an.Hours before killing two French police officers in front of their three-year-old son, Larossi Abballa was in his local mosque reading the Qur’an.
Mohammed Droussi, a rector at the mosque, said Abballa, who has a previous conviction for terrorism, had been so engrossed in his religious study after attending midday prayers that he had to ask Abballa to leave as the prayer room was closing.Mohammed Droussi, a rector at the mosque, said Abballa, who has a previous conviction for terrorism, had been so engrossed in his religious study after attending midday prayers that he had to ask Abballa to leave as the prayer room was closing.
“He seemed very calm, very ordinary. He was praying here like everyone else. There was no sign that he was radicalised,” Droussi said.“He seemed very calm, very ordinary. He was praying here like everyone else. There was no sign that he was radicalised,” Droussi said.
Hours later Abballa murdered a police commander and his partner at their home outside Paris, before being killed by police.Hours later Abballa murdered a police commander and his partner at their home outside Paris, before being killed by police.
Droussi said Abballa had attended the mosque fairly regularly until recently. “He hadn’t been for some time but this was the second time since Ramadan started,” he said. “We assumed he’d found a job and couldn’t come during the day.”Droussi said Abballa had attended the mosque fairly regularly until recently. “He hadn’t been for some time but this was the second time since Ramadan started,” he said. “We assumed he’d found a job and couldn’t come during the day.”
Droussi was speaking outside the mosque on the ground floor of a building in which Abballa lived with his parents in rue Roald Amundsen in Mantes-la-Jolie, a north-western suburb of Paris. Two large makeshift tents have been set up outside the neat block of flats to create extra room for prayers during Ramadan.Droussi was speaking outside the mosque on the ground floor of a building in which Abballa lived with his parents in rue Roald Amundsen in Mantes-la-Jolie, a north-western suburb of Paris. Two large makeshift tents have been set up outside the neat block of flats to create extra room for prayers during Ramadan.
The cleric described what had happened in the evening before the attack. “After prayers finished he was still here reading the Qur’an. I had the keys and asked him to leave. I said: ‘We’re closing.’ The cleric described what had happened the afternoon before the attack. “After prayers finished he was still here reading the Qur’an. I had the keys and asked him to leave. I said: ‘We’re closing.’
“I have no idea if he was radicalised or not because I’m not in his head and I have no idea what was going on in there. I never asked him. To us he was just a normal boy.”“I have no idea if he was radicalised or not because I’m not in his head and I have no idea what was going on in there. I never asked him. To us he was just a normal boy.”
Droussi said Abballa’s father had attended the mosque until a month ago, when he returned to Morocco.Droussi said Abballa’s father had attended the mosque until a month ago, when he returned to Morocco.
Asked for his reaction when he saw Abballa’s picture on television in connection with the attack on the officers, Droussi said: “It was bizarre. He [Abballa] seemed a normal boy to us. Of course it touches us and we are all upset. But each time these things happen … it’s nothing to do with religion. It’s not the Muslim religion.”Asked for his reaction when he saw Abballa’s picture on television in connection with the attack on the officers, Droussi said: “It was bizarre. He [Abballa] seemed a normal boy to us. Of course it touches us and we are all upset. But each time these things happen … it’s nothing to do with religion. It’s not the Muslim religion.”
Asked whether the mosque was known for extremist preaching or whether there were radicalised youths in the neighbourhood, he shook his head. Two young men among a group of about 20 hanging around outside the mosque shouted “no”.Asked whether the mosque was known for extremist preaching or whether there were radicalised youths in the neighbourhood, he shook his head. Two young men among a group of about 20 hanging around outside the mosque shouted “no”.
Droussi said: “It’s up to the imam what he preaches, but sometimes we have to put young men back on to the right path. It’s obviously a concern, but everyone is shocked. This is something that hurts everyone. We cannot reproach a religion if people do bad things.Droussi said: “It’s up to the imam what he preaches, but sometimes we have to put young men back on to the right path. It’s obviously a concern, but everyone is shocked. This is something that hurts everyone. We cannot reproach a religion if people do bad things.
“All I can tell you is that he was in here reading the Qur’an and I asked him to leave. Normally people come here, do their prayers and leave. When I asked him to leave, he calmly left.”“All I can tell you is that he was in here reading the Qur’an and I asked him to leave. Normally people come here, do their prayers and leave. When I asked him to leave, he calmly left.”