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Nice attacker grew beard in week before truck rampage, prosecutor says Nice attacker grew beard in week before truck rampage – prosecutor
(35 minutes later)
The Bastille Day massacre in Nice was a “premeditated, thought-out and planned” attack, French prosecutors have said.The Bastille Day massacre in Nice was a “premeditated, thought-out and planned” attack, French prosecutors have said.
Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel had grown a beard in the eight days before he carried out the attack and told friends “the significance of the beard is religious”, prosecutor François Molins told a press conference.Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel had grown a beard in the eight days before he carried out the attack and told friends “the significance of the beard is religious”, prosecutor François Molins told a press conference.
Lahouaiej-Bouhlel had not previously shown any sign of being religious, and “ate pork, drank alcohol, took drugs and had a promiscuous sex life,” Molins said, outlining evidence gathered by police. Lahouaiej-Bouhlel had not previously shown any sign of being religious, and “ate pork, drank alcohol, took drugs and had a promiscuous sex life”, Molins said, outlining evidence gathered by police.
One witness told detectives that during a discussion about portrayals of Islamic State decapitations online, Lahouaiej-Bouhlel had replied: “I am used to that,” Molins said.One witness told detectives that during a discussion about portrayals of Islamic State decapitations online, Lahouaiej-Bouhlel had replied: “I am used to that,” Molins said.
Documents and images on Lahouaiej-Bouhlel’s phone showed he had visited the Promenade des Anglais on 12 July, two days before the attack, and taken several photographs including selfies.Documents and images on Lahouaiej-Bouhlel’s phone showed he had visited the Promenade des Anglais on 12 July, two days before the attack, and taken several photographs including selfies.
Molins said investigators had found no proof of any “allegiance or any direct link” to Islamic State or other terrorist organisations, but Lahouaiej-Boulel’s computer contained “very violent” images from radical Islamic sites and links to jihadi websites, as well as articles about the Bastille Day fireworks display in Nice, the recent nightclub attack in Orlando and shootings in Dallas, and the killing of two police officers in Magnanville, a Paris suburb, as well as research into Osama bin Laden and the former Islamic State head Mokhtar Belmokhtar.Molins said investigators had found no proof of any “allegiance or any direct link” to Islamic State or other terrorist organisations, but Lahouaiej-Boulel’s computer contained “very violent” images from radical Islamic sites and links to jihadi websites, as well as articles about the Bastille Day fireworks display in Nice, the recent nightclub attack in Orlando and shootings in Dallas, and the killing of two police officers in Magnanville, a Paris suburb, as well as research into Osama bin Laden and the former Islamic State head Mokhtar Belmokhtar.
The attacker’s computer records showed a “sure and recent interest for radical jihadist movements”, Molins said, adding that Lahouaiej-Bouhlel had also consulted articles on fatal accidents including a report from Nice Matin newspaper headlined: “Man drives his car into a restaurant terrace.”The attacker’s computer records showed a “sure and recent interest for radical jihadist movements”, Molins said, adding that Lahouaiej-Bouhlel had also consulted articles on fatal accidents including a report from Nice Matin newspaper headlined: “Man drives his car into a restaurant terrace.”
Earlier, Manuel Valls, the French prime minister, was booed before and after a minute’s silence in Nice for victims of the Bastille Day attack. There were shouts of “Murderers!” and “Resign!” as Valls and two other ministers left the seafront, where a huge crowd had gathered to remember the 84 people mown down by Lahouaiej-Bouhlel. There were also placards in the crowd calling for the French president, François Hollande, to resign.Earlier, Manuel Valls, the French prime minister, was booed before and after a minute’s silence in Nice for victims of the Bastille Day attack. There were shouts of “Murderers!” and “Resign!” as Valls and two other ministers left the seafront, where a huge crowd had gathered to remember the 84 people mown down by Lahouaiej-Bouhlel. There were also placards in the crowd calling for the French president, François Hollande, to resign.
Three days of national mourning in France have been overshadowed by an intensifying debate about whether the government has done enough to respond to terrorism. On Saturday Isis claimed responsibility for inspiring the attack, and said Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was one of its followers. But France’s interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, said links between the attacker and “terrorist networks … have not yet been established by the investigation”. Three days of national mourning in France have been overshadowed by an intensifying debate about whether the government has done enough to respond to terrorism. On Saturday, Isis claimed responsibility for inspiring the attack, and said Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was one of its followers. But France’s interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, said links between the attacker and “terrorist networks … have not yet been established by the investigation”.
Six people are being detained in connection with the attack, including a 38-year-old Albanian suspected of providing Lahouaiej-Bouhlel with a pistol he used to fire at police.Six people are being detained in connection with the attack, including a 38-year-old Albanian suspected of providing Lahouaiej-Bouhlel with a pistol he used to fire at police.
Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was shot dead after deliberately driving a 19-tonne truck through a crowd of people at a Bastille Day fireworks display on Nice seafront. The attack came eight months after Isis terrorists killed 130 people across Paris, and 18 months after three days of terror at Charlie Hebdo magazine and a Jewish supermarket left 17 dead.Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was shot dead after deliberately driving a 19-tonne truck through a crowd of people at a Bastille Day fireworks display on Nice seafront. The attack came eight months after Isis terrorists killed 130 people across Paris, and 18 months after three days of terror at Charlie Hebdo magazine and a Jewish supermarket left 17 dead.
Hours after the Nice attack, Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right Front National, said France had done “absolutely nothing” to counter Islamic extremists. She also called for a war against Islamic fundamentalism and said Cazeneuve should resign.Hours after the Nice attack, Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right Front National, said France had done “absolutely nothing” to counter Islamic extremists. She also called for a war against Islamic fundamentalism and said Cazeneuve should resign.
Cazeneuve said such remarks were a “shameful” breach of the three-day period of national mourning. Without mentioning names, he said: “Certain members of the political class have not respected the mourning period. Arguments broke out right away, which personally saddens and shocks me.”Cazeneuve said such remarks were a “shameful” breach of the three-day period of national mourning. Without mentioning names, he said: “Certain members of the political class have not respected the mourning period. Arguments broke out right away, which personally saddens and shocks me.”