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Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel: Who was Nice attacker? Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel: Who was Nice attacker?
(2 days later)
French prosecutors have confirmed that Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was behind the wheel of the lorry that ploughed into people celebrating Bastille Day on the seafront in Nice on Thursday, killing scores of people. The man responsible for the Nice Bastille Day lorry attack which killed more than 80 people has been named as a Tunisian delivery man, Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, 31.
The 31-year-old Tunisian delivery man was identified by his fingerprints after his driver's licence, mobile phone and credit card were found inside the vehicle by police who shot him dead. Not known to French intelligence services for radicalisation, Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was identified by his fingerprints after his driver's licence, mobile phone and credit card were found inside the vehicle by police who shot him dead.
Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was totally unknown to the intelligence services, but Prime Minister Manuel Valls has said he was a "terrorist without doubt linked to radical Islamism in one way or another". Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was from the northern Tunisian town of Msaken, about 10km (6 miles) outside the coastal city of Sousse.
Tunisian security sources told BBC Arabic that Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was from the northern town of Msaken, about 10km (6 miles) outside the coastal city of Sousse. The BBC's Rana Jawad visited the town where locals told her that many people know his family and are shocked by his actions.
He had relatives who still lived there and visited Tunisia frequently, the last time eight months ago, the sources added. "Although he has not lived in the town for a long time - he left some time ago to study engineering - we remember him as a normal person from a wealthy family," a town resident told her.
Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was married with three children, although he no longer lived with his wife, who was detained for questioning by police on Friday. While many who know him describe Lahouaiej-Bouhlel as being secular, other witnesses have pointed out that more recently he displayed outward signs of becoming more religious.
A woman who knows the family told the BBC that Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was thrown out of their home in the Le Ray area of Nice more than a year ago after allegedly beating his wife. He appeared to have been radicalised very quickly, French authorities say.
So-called Islamic State said Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was acting in response to its calls to target civilians in countries that are part of the anti-IS coalition.
Lahouaiej-Bouhlel visited Tunisia frequently, the last time eight months ago, sources told the BBC. Some reports say that he carried out a reconnaissance of the attack site in Nice two day before committing mass murder.
Psychiatrist Chamseddine Hamouda carried out a mental assessment of the killer a few years ago after his father became concerned about his "troubling behaviour of a psychotic nature".
"He was a stranger to himself," Mr Hamouda said, "I advised his parents that he needed treatment."
"At the time he exhibited violent behaviour towards his family, but one cannot imagine that a person like that could carry out such a horrific and bloody crime on this scale.
"I'm sure that in the past 12 years something else happened that perhaps influenced how he thought."
Mr Hamouda said that whether Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was indoctrinated or mentally ill, "it does not lessen the horror of the operation he carried out".
'Quiet loner''Quiet loner'
Several neighbours in the four-storey block of flats in the Abattoirs area where he subsequently moved described him as "quiet" and a "loner" who did not even respond to their greetings. Police say the attacker was married with three children, although he no longer lived with his wife, who was detained for questioning by police on Friday.
A woman who knows the family told the BBC that Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was thrown out of their home in the Le Ray area of Nice more than a year ago after allegedly beating his wife.
Several neighbours in the four-storey block of flats in the Abattoirs area where he subsequently moved described him as "quiet" and a "loner" who did not respond to their greetings.
He had a van parked nearby and would often be seen climbing the stairs to his first-floor flat, carrying his bike.He had a van parked nearby and would often be seen climbing the stairs to his first-floor flat, carrying his bike.
He also did not seem overtly religious. Locals said he was often seen drinking beer and never attended the small mosque near his block of flats.He also did not seem overtly religious. Locals said he was often seen drinking beer and never attended the small mosque near his block of flats.
Anan, who lived on the ground floor, said she was suspicious of him because he was "a good-looking man who kept giving my two daughters the eye".Anan, who lived on the ground floor, said she was suspicious of him because he was "a good-looking man who kept giving my two daughters the eye".
One woman recalled that he was nice to her and helped her all the time. But, she said, his behaviour was sometimes "strange".One woman recalled that he was nice to her and helped her all the time. But, she said, his behaviour was sometimes "strange".
He once asked to rent her mailbox and that when she refused he had called her "nasty", she added. When she learnt of the attack, she immediately wondered if he might have been involved.He once asked to rent her mailbox and that when she refused he had called her "nasty", she added. When she learnt of the attack, she immediately wondered if he might have been involved.
On Friday morning, investigators and forensic experts raided his flat and seized a telephone and computer. Investigators and forensic experts raided his flat and seized a telephone and computer.
AssaultAssault
Prosecutor Francois Molins later told a news conference that Lahouaiej-Bouhlel had been in trouble with police between 2010 and 2016 for threatening behaviour, violence and petty theft. Lahouaiej-Bouhlel had been in trouble with police between 2010 and 2016 for threatening behaviour, violence and petty theft.
In March, a court in Nice convicted him of assaulting a motorist with an improvised weapon - a wooden pallet - during an altercation and handed him a six-month suspended prison sentence. He had to contact police once a week, which he did.In March, a court in Nice convicted him of assaulting a motorist with an improvised weapon - a wooden pallet - during an altercation and handed him a six-month suspended prison sentence. He had to contact police once a week, which he did.
The 19-tonne refrigerated lorry used in the attack was rented on 11 July in Saint-Laurent-du-Var, just to the west of Nice.The 19-tonne refrigerated lorry used in the attack was rented on 11 July in Saint-Laurent-du-Var, just to the west of Nice.
The attack began at about 22:30 on Thursday, when the lorry turned on to the Promenade des Anglais, where a huge crowd was gathered for a Bastille Day fireworks display.The attack began at about 22:30 on Thursday, when the lorry turned on to the Promenade des Anglais, where a huge crowd was gathered for a Bastille Day fireworks display.
The lorry drove for 2km (1.2 miles) along the seafront boulevard, swerving from side to side in an apparent effort to kill as many people as possible.The lorry drove for 2km (1.2 miles) along the seafront boulevard, swerving from side to side in an apparent effort to kill as many people as possible.
Mr Molins said that when he reached the famous Negresco Hotel, Lahouaiej-Bouhlel fired repeatedly at three policemen. When he reached the famous Negresco Hotel, Lahouaiej-Bouhlel fired repeatedly at three policemen.
They returned fire and pursued the lorry for another 300m (985ft), before shooting him dead inside the cabin near the Palais de la Mediterranee hotel.They returned fire and pursued the lorry for another 300m (985ft), before shooting him dead inside the cabin near the Palais de la Mediterranee hotel.
Nader El Shafei, an Egyptian who was on holiday in Nice, told the BBC that the driver looked "very nervous" during the attack.Nader El Shafei, an Egyptian who was on holiday in Nice, told the BBC that the driver looked "very nervous" during the attack.
"I kept yelling at him, waving with my hands to stop and trying to tell him that there is a lot people under his truck - dead already. But he did not give any attention to anyone outside the truck. Inside the lorry after his death police found one automatic pistol, bullets and two replica assault rifles, as well as another fake pistol and a dummy grenade.
"And suddenly I saw him picking up something like a cellphone. I thought he would call the ambulance for the accident but it seemed that I was wrong, because he just picked up his gun and he started to shoot the police."
Inside the lorry, police found one automatic pistol, bullets and two replica assault rifles, as well as another fake pistol and a dummy grenade.
'Never flagged''Never flagged'
Mr Molins said Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was "totally unknown" to French intelligence services, and was "never flagged for signs of radicalisation". Officials say Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was "never flagged for signs of radicalisation".
Anyone seen as a threat to state security in France has what the government refers to as a "fiche S".Anyone seen as a threat to state security in France has what the government refers to as a "fiche S".
The majority of attacks carried out in the country since January 2015 have been staged by men designated with a "fiche S", and also linked to so-called Islamic State (IS).The majority of attacks carried out in the country since January 2015 have been staged by men designated with a "fiche S", and also linked to so-called Islamic State (IS).
Mr Molins noted that although no group had claimed to be behind Thursday's attack, "this sort of thing fits in perfectly with calls for murder from such terrorist organisations".
In 2014, IS spokesman Mohammed al-Adnani told supporters in an audio message: "If you can't detonate a bomb or fire a shot, manage by yourself... run them over with your car."In 2014, IS spokesman Mohammed al-Adnani told supporters in an audio message: "If you can't detonate a bomb or fire a shot, manage by yourself... run them over with your car."
Many of France's jihadist killers, starting with Mohammed Merah in Toulouse in 2012, also began their journey towards militant Islam as petty criminals.Many of France's jihadist killers, starting with Mohammed Merah in Toulouse in 2012, also began their journey towards militant Islam as petty criminals.