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Orly airport: France launches terror investigation | Orly airport: France launches terror investigation |
(about 11 hours later) | |
French anti-terror prosecutors are investigating an attack at Paris's Orly airport by a gunman who was eventually shot dead by security forces. | French anti-terror prosecutors are investigating an attack at Paris's Orly airport by a gunman who was eventually shot dead by security forces. |
Ziyed Ben Belgacem, 39, was killed on Saturday after he put a gun to a soldier's head saying he wanted to "die for Allah", officials say. | Ziyed Ben Belgacem, 39, was killed on Saturday after he put a gun to a soldier's head saying he wanted to "die for Allah", officials say. |
Earlier on Saturday, he was involved in a shooting and then a carjacking. | |
Belgacem is described as having been radicalised in prison, and was on a police watch-list. | Belgacem is described as having been radicalised in prison, and was on a police watch-list. |
His criminal record included convictions for armed robbery and drugs offences, Paris prosecutor Francois Molins told reporters late on Saturday. | His criminal record included convictions for armed robbery and drugs offences, Paris prosecutor Francois Molins told reporters late on Saturday. |
Intelligence agents searched his home in Garges-les-Gonesse for evidence of Islamist sympathies, but reportedly found nothing. However, traces of cocaine were discovered during the search. | Intelligence agents searched his home in Garges-les-Gonesse for evidence of Islamist sympathies, but reportedly found nothing. However, traces of cocaine were discovered during the search. |
His father and brother were taken in for questioning in the aftermath of the attack. The brother remains in custody. | |
Speaking to Europe 1 radio on Sunday, the father said his son was not a terrorist, but someone who never prayed, and drank alcohol and took drugs. | |
He said he had received a phone call from Belgacem after his initial attack at Garges-les-Gonesse to tell him: "Dad, please forgive me. I've screwed up with a police officer." | |
Operation Sentinel | Operation Sentinel |
The BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris says the picture is building up of a man on the criminal fringes of society, who also consorted with Islamist radicals. | |
The attack comes at a sensitive time. France has presidential elections starting next month and remains under a state of emergency. | The attack comes at a sensitive time. France has presidential elections starting next month and remains under a state of emergency. |
The soldiers at Orly were part of Operation Sentinel - involving thousands of soldiers deployed to provide back-up to the police after the Charlie Hebdo attack in January 2015 and the Paris attacks of November 2015. | The soldiers at Orly were part of Operation Sentinel - involving thousands of soldiers deployed to provide back-up to the police after the Charlie Hebdo attack in January 2015 and the Paris attacks of November 2015. |
The sequence of events | The sequence of events |
Early on Saturday morning, Belgacem was stopped at a checkpoint in Garges-les-Gonesse, north of Paris,. | |
He fired at police with a pellet gun before escaping in a car that was later found abandoned. | He fired at police with a pellet gun before escaping in a car that was later found abandoned. |
Police say he then stole a car at gunpoint from a woman at Vitry, south of Paris. That car was later found at Orly airport. | Police say he then stole a car at gunpoint from a woman at Vitry, south of Paris. That car was later found at Orly airport. |
Belgacem arrived at the airport and attacked the military patrol in the south terminal. | Belgacem arrived at the airport and attacked the military patrol in the south terminal. |
He tried to seize the servicewoman's automatic weapon, put his gun to her head and said: "I'm here to die for Allah. In any case people are going to die." | He tried to seize the servicewoman's automatic weapon, put his gun to her head and said: "I'm here to die for Allah. In any case people are going to die." |
He was then shot dead by two other soldiers. | He was then shot dead by two other soldiers. |
A copy of the Koran was found on his body, Mr Molins added. | A copy of the Koran was found on his body, Mr Molins added. |
Orly - located 13km (8 miles) south of Paris - is the capital's second-largest airport. | Orly - located 13km (8 miles) south of Paris - is the capital's second-largest airport. |
Both the west and the south terminals were closed during the security operation. An estimated 3,000 passengers were evacuated. | Both the west and the south terminals were closed during the security operation. An estimated 3,000 passengers were evacuated. |
Flights were suspended for several hours. Both terminals reopened later on Saturday and flight operations gradually resumed. | Flights were suspended for several hours. Both terminals reopened later on Saturday and flight operations gradually resumed. |