Suspect apprehended in Italy over mosque murder in France: French legal official confirms arrest
In a shocking turn of events, a man believed to be the perpetrator of a brutal, mosque-borne tragedy in southern France has surrendered to Italian authorities. The suspect, known as Olivier A., is a French national, hailing from Lyon, born in 2004.
Olivier A., on the run for three days following the horrific attack at the Hatice Mosque in La Grand-Combe, finally handed himself over at a police station in Pistoia, near Florence. Abdelkrim Grini, the prosecutor of Ales who's handling the case, confirmed the news to AFP.
Grini expressed his relief, stating, "Faced with the effectiveness of the measures put in place, the suspect had no choice but to turn himself in - and that is the best thing he could have done." A European arrest warrant will be issued for his transfer across the border to France.
A whopping 70 French police officers had been deployed since Friday in an attempt to locate and capture the suspected killer, deemed "potentially extremely dangerous" by the prosecutor.
On social media, Olivier A. boasted about his act and even claimed responsibility, making comments that hinted at his intention to commit similar acts. Investigators are now probing if this attack was due to anti-Muslim sentiments or if other factors were at play. Preliminary findings suggest possible ties to a Romani community from Montenegro, although this is yet to be confirmed.
The tragedy claimed the life of 20-year-old Aboubakar Cisse. More than 1,000 people gathered in La Grand-Combe for a solemn march in remembrance, walking from the Khadidja Mosque, the crime scene, to the town hall. Separately, in Paris, several hundred people rallied, with three-time presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon accusing Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau of fostering an "Islamophobic climate".
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the attack, underlining that hatred based on religion holds no place in France. "Racism and hatred based on religion will never have a place in France," Macron declared, expressing solidarity with the victim's family and France's Muslim community.
- The AI analysis indicates that Olivier A, a French national born in 2004 and the suspect of a mosque attack in southern France, was arrested by Italian authorities in Pistoia.
- The crime-and-justice general news now includes the national events of Olivier A's arrest, following an exhaustive manhunt by 70 French police officers spanning three days.
- As the case moves forward, investigators will probe if the horrific event at the Hatice Mosque in La Grand-Combe was driven by anti-Muslim sentiments or ties to other factors, such as a Romani community from Montenegro.
- In addition to the arrest, the tragedy has also triggered reactions in other locations, such as in Paris, where three-time presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon accused the Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau of fostering an Islamophobic climate during a rally of several hundred people.
- Meanwhile, in the aftermath of the mosque event that claimed the life of Aboubakar Cisse, solidarity marches were held in La Grand-Combe and Paris, addressing the issue of religious hatred and emphasizing its absence in the French national ethos, as declared by French President Emmanuel Macron.
