France: Radicalised Muslim shot dead in attack at Paris airport
A radicalised Muslim known to intelligence agencies has been shot dead at Paris Orly airport after seizing an air force patrolwoman’s gun, hours after he shot a police officer in the face in a northern suburb. Authorities identified the man as Ziyed Ben Belgacem, a 39-year-old French national of north African origin born in Paris. The Paris prosecutor, François Molins, said that during the confrontation at the airport, Belgacem shouted at the patrolmen: “I’m there to die by Allah. In any case there will be deaths.” He was carrying a Koran, a container of petrol and matches in a backpack, which he threw to the ground before attacking the patrolwoman and holding a pellet gun to her temple. Molins said three of Belgacem’s relatives were in custody: his father, brother and a cousin. They went to a police station after Belgacem sent his brother a text message saying: “I’ve done something stupid. I’ve fired at police.” An investigation has been opened into attempted murder as part of a terrorist plot, Molins said. The 39-year-old man hurled himself at three air force personnel patrolling a passenger terminal on Saturday morning under counter-terrorism measures introduced after the 2015 Paris attacks. One of the patrolwomen clung to her gun as he wrestled her to the ground. Eventually he succeeded in prising it out of her grasp, and it was then one of the the patrolmen opened fire. Belgacem fell down after one of the patrolmen fired the first shot, but then got up and was hit for a second time, Molins said. Again Belgacem rose to his feet, but died after a third shot was fired. The attacker, who had previous drugs and theft convictions, was wanted for questioning by police in connection with criminal investigations. Molins said Belgacem was flagged up as having been radicalised while in prison in 2011 and 2012. The airport, packed with weekend travellers and holidaymakers, was evacuated while it was searched by bomb disposal squads. No explosives were found. Some 3,000 people were escorted out of the airport terminals. Passengers in planes that had landed before the shooting were kept aboard the aircraft until the airport was judged secure. By mid-afternoon, the airport had re-opened and flights were gradually resuming.<br/>
https://portal.staralliance.com/cms/news/hot-topics/2017-03-20/general/france-radicalised-muslim-shot-dead-in-attack-at-paris-airport
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France: Radicalised Muslim shot dead in attack at Paris airport
A radicalised Muslim known to intelligence agencies has been shot dead at Paris Orly airport after seizing an air force patrolwoman’s gun, hours after he shot a police officer in the face in a northern suburb. Authorities identified the man as Ziyed Ben Belgacem, a 39-year-old French national of north African origin born in Paris. The Paris prosecutor, François Molins, said that during the confrontation at the airport, Belgacem shouted at the patrolmen: “I’m there to die by Allah. In any case there will be deaths.” He was carrying a Koran, a container of petrol and matches in a backpack, which he threw to the ground before attacking the patrolwoman and holding a pellet gun to her temple. Molins said three of Belgacem’s relatives were in custody: his father, brother and a cousin. They went to a police station after Belgacem sent his brother a text message saying: “I’ve done something stupid. I’ve fired at police.” An investigation has been opened into attempted murder as part of a terrorist plot, Molins said. The 39-year-old man hurled himself at three air force personnel patrolling a passenger terminal on Saturday morning under counter-terrorism measures introduced after the 2015 Paris attacks. One of the patrolwomen clung to her gun as he wrestled her to the ground. Eventually he succeeded in prising it out of her grasp, and it was then one of the the patrolmen opened fire. Belgacem fell down after one of the patrolmen fired the first shot, but then got up and was hit for a second time, Molins said. Again Belgacem rose to his feet, but died after a third shot was fired. The attacker, who had previous drugs and theft convictions, was wanted for questioning by police in connection with criminal investigations. Molins said Belgacem was flagged up as having been radicalised while in prison in 2011 and 2012. The airport, packed with weekend travellers and holidaymakers, was evacuated while it was searched by bomb disposal squads. No explosives were found. Some 3,000 people were escorted out of the airport terminals. Passengers in planes that had landed before the shooting were kept aboard the aircraft until the airport was judged secure. By mid-afternoon, the airport had re-opened and flights were gradually resuming.<br/>
