On May 5, 2024 at 22:25 in Reims (Marne), a person with Tunisian nationality and illegal residence boarded the tram at the Comédie stop and ordered passengers to move to the back. He declared that he was in possession of a bomb, showed a gas detector and chanted ‘Allahu akkbar’, as Valeurs actuelles learnt from a police source.
Six passengers were able to overpower him, whereupon he was arrested by the special unit at Courlancy station. The heavily intoxicated man was known to the law enforcement agency (TAJ) but unknown to the secret service (renseignement territorial). He was taken into police custody.