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Orly airport: Attacker phoned father to say 'I screwed up' | Orly airport: Attacker phoned father to say 'I screwed up' |
(about 9 hours later) | |
The gunman who attacked soldiers at Orly airport in Paris on Saturday had earlier told his father he had "screwed up" and wanted forgiveness. | |
Ziyed Ben Belgacem, 39, was killed after he put a gun to a soldier's head saying he wanted to "die for Allah". | Ziyed Ben Belgacem, 39, was killed after he put a gun to a soldier's head saying he wanted to "die for Allah". |
Earlier on Saturday, he was involved in a shooting and then a carjacking. | Earlier on Saturday, he was involved in a shooting and then a carjacking. |
His father told French radio that his son had phoned after the first attack to say he had "screwed up with a gendarme", before proceeding to Orly. | |
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, north of Paris, 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, north of Paris, for evidence of Islamist sympathies, but reportedly found nothing. However, traces of cocaine were discovered during the search. |
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. | 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 a military patrol in the south terminal. | Belgacem arrived at the airport and attacked a military patrol in the south terminal. |
He tried to seize a 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 a 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. |
His father, brother and cousin were taken in for questioning in the aftermath of the attack. All of them have since been released without charge. | |
Speaking to Europe 1 radio on Sunday, the father said his son was not a terrorist, but someone who "never prayed and he drank". | Speaking to Europe 1 radio on Sunday, the father said his son was not a terrorist, but someone who "never prayed and he drank". |
"This is what happens under the influence of drink and cannabis," the father said. | "This is what happens under the influence of drink and cannabis," the father said. |
He said he had received a phone call from Belgacem after his initial attack in which he said: "Dad, please forgive me. I've screwed up with a police officer." | He said he had received a phone call from Belgacem after his initial attack in which he said: "Dad, please forgive me. I've screwed up with a police officer." |
Then he hung up saying he was on the motorway. | Then he hung up saying he was on the motorway. |
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 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. |
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. |
The attack came at a sensitive time. France has presidential elections starting next month and remains under a state of emergency. | The attack came 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. |