“I was very, very scared. All the more so because it wouldn’t be the first time that a terrorist had committed an attack in Toulouse,” Julien said. (…) “When I talk about it, my voice still trembles,” he assured two days after the events.
Late on Monday afternoon, according to Julien, a person entered a metro train “between Saint-Cyprien and Jean-Jaurès stations”. This young man quickly made himself known, while the other passengers looked on anxiously. “He held up a large penknife before claiming to be the coming terrorist. We thought he was going to attack someone (…)”.
Investigators found disturbing evidence in his mobile phone that indicated that the 17-year-old suspect had not uttered these words by chance. According to our information, the minor had watched several beheading videos in February and had informed himself intensively about the deeds of the terrorist Mohammed Merah.
When the minor was taken into police custody, the police also realised that he was not in a normal condition. According to those close to him, the teenager suffers from “recurring psychiatric disorders”. His mental condition was exacerbated by the consumption of alcohol a few minutes before the offence.
On Wednesday, the young man was brought before a juvenile court judge for glorification of terrorism. He had no a priori intention of committing the offence, but further checks are currently being carried out.
La Dépêche du Midi / « Je suis le prochain terroriste ! » : armé d’un couteau, un jeune de 17 ans sème la panique dans le métro à Toulouse ; des vidéos de décapitations et des recherches sur Mohammed Merah retrouvées dans son portable – Fdesouche