This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/tunisia-massacre-gunman-liked-hiphop-and-football-10351828.html
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Seifeddine Rezgui profile: Tunisia beach massacre gunman 'liked hip-hop and football' | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The gunman in the Tunisia attacks was a Real Madrid supporter and hip-hop fan, but became radicalised and posted extremist messages online before finally carrying out the attack that killed 38 people. | |
Seifeddine Rezgui, who was not on any terror watchlists, came from a town renowned as being the centre for ultra-conservative Salafists. | |
In the days following the attack in Souse his relatives have spoken of their shame and shock at the 23-year-old's actions. | |
Since the attack, videos of Rezgui break-dancing dressed in jeans and a hoodie have emerged, along with reports that he was well-known for entering dance competitions in Tunis, the Tunisian capital. | Since the attack, videos of Rezgui break-dancing dressed in jeans and a hoodie have emerged, along with reports that he was well-known for entering dance competitions in Tunis, the Tunisian capital. |
But in later Facebook postings he wrote of jihad and how he wanted to make people "suffer". | But in later Facebook postings he wrote of jihad and how he wanted to make people "suffer". |
Rezgui appears to have shared an apartment with six other men close to the Mosque of the Seven Virgins in the impoverished El Zouhour neighbourhood. | |
Neighbours said the group led secretive lives and avoided contact with locals. They claimed the men were visited by a group of Salafists before the building was suddenly left empty. | |
Over the weekend video footage of the inside of the abandoned apartment, showing a dirty kitchen, a near-empty fridge and rubbish stashed under the sink. | Over the weekend video footage of the inside of the abandoned apartment, showing a dirty kitchen, a near-empty fridge and rubbish stashed under the sink. |
Rezgui came from the town of Gaafour, 75 miles from Tunis, in the Siliana region. He was an aviation student at Kairouan University and had reportedly never been abroad. | Rezgui came from the town of Gaafour, 75 miles from Tunis, in the Siliana region. He was an aviation student at Kairouan University and had reportedly never been abroad. |
His family and neighbours believe a new group of friends radicalised him. | His family and neighbours believe a new group of friends radicalised him. |
"I don't know who has contacted him, influenced him or who has put these ideas in his head," said his father, Hakim Rezgui. "He has new friends who got him into this." | "I don't know who has contacted him, influenced him or who has put these ideas in his head," said his father, Hakim Rezgui. "He has new friends who got him into this." |
Ammar Fazai, a 64-year-old neighbour, was quoted in The Observer as saying: "I think maybe, just maybe, it was poverty that did it." | Ammar Fazai, a 64-year-old neighbour, was quoted in The Observer as saying: "I think maybe, just maybe, it was poverty that did it." |
Rezgui's uncle, Ali Bin Muhammad Rezgui, described him as "just like the other young men" who liked to play football or go to a cafe after praying in the local mosque. | Rezgui's uncle, Ali Bin Muhammad Rezgui, described him as "just like the other young men" who liked to play football or go to a cafe after praying in the local mosque. |
Since the attack on Friday the radical Islamist group Isis have taken credit for the massacre. | Since the attack on Friday the radical Islamist group Isis have taken credit for the massacre. |
According to the SITE intelligence group, they used Rezgui's jihadi pseudonym of Abu Yahya al-Qayrawani. | According to the SITE intelligence group, they used Rezgui's jihadi pseudonym of Abu Yahya al-Qayrawani. |