A man with an entry in the file on dangerous Islamists has been arrested in Paris. The man was arrested by an off-duty police officer on the platform of Paris metro line 7 towards Ivry at around 9.34 am on Thursday the 26th of December, as reported by CNews. The man had stolen the mobile phone of a Japanese tourist.
The suspect was handed over to the Brigade des Réseaux Franciliens (BRF) and taken into police custody. The man is well known to the French judiciary, as he has been on the list of suspects for terrorism since the 9th of February 2017. According to the news channel, he is said to have travelled to Syria in 2015 to fight alongside a terrorist organisation ‘that can operate in France and abroad’. In addition, he has been under house arrest in the Seine-Saint-Denis department since the 18th of December 2024.
He is also wanted by Algeria. An international arrest warrant has been issued for him by the court in El Harrche on the 24th July 2018. In addition, the court in Algiers is said to have requested his arrest ‘’for extradition in a terrorism-related background‘’.
For his part, the Japanese tourist got his phone back but did not press charges against the thief due to a lack of time, as he had to leave for the airport.
I see “house arrest” works about as well in France as it does here in the US. For three years I worked at a county detention facility and more than a few times, offenders would come in, under arrest for cutting off their ankle monitors and leaving their house or apartment. This suspect will probably claim he’ll be persecuted if he is returned to Algeria so the EU will probably block his deportation. I’m afraid Europe is fast reaching the point of no return. There is a rise of conservative, patriotic political parties, but I’m afraid it’s a case of “too little, too late.” Thanks for another timely news report.