“In barely a year, his attitude changed: beard, long hair, prayer clothes. He became cold, distant, closed, moralizing. To those who feared religious radicalization, he brushed aside their fears and responded tirelessly that he had simply found faith…”
French authorities should take the time to ponder the implications of this. But they won’t.
“‘Explosives at the foot of the Eiffel Tower’: young Belgians allegedly tried to plan an attack in Paris,” by Benjamin Samyn and Nicolas Foulon, RTL Info, March 17, 2023 (thanks to Medforth):
Three minors and one adult were arrested around ten days ago. They planned to attack a Brussels performance hall… But not only that. We discovered that they were also planning to attack the Eiffel Tower with explosives. Currently, several people are still wanted.
They do not know each other in reality, but talk for long hours about the Islamic State on the Signal application.
Among the members of the group, some look for weapons on the dark web, others settle for knives. A discussion takes place on Friday March 1st. They wish to act the following Monday, as a source close to the case tells us: “The police report is communicated and taken into account on Saturday morning, given the concrete elements relating to the imminence of an act. There is talk of striking Monday evening in Brussels. The operation is decided and implemented during the day and evening of Saturday. The DSU (Directorate of Special Units) sets up during the night from Saturday to Sunday.”
During the interrogations, the anti-terrorism agents asked the suspects if there were other targets than the Le Botanique performance hall… And indeed, one of the projects was even more daring: take to the Eiffel Tower.
“Some were talking about meeting in Paris. They were talking about putting explosives at the foot of the Eiffel Tower so that it would fall. There was one who always talked about a suicide attack with ram trucks. It was the Frenchman who always talked about this type of attack,” says a source.
Michel Degrève is a lawyer. According to him, this type of long-distance relationships between radicalized young people who do not know each other is a classic pattern: “We observe among several young people who are in this movement profiles who are out of school, marginalized and who find a form of belonging in groups and radical movements which allow them to emancipate themselves on a social level.
One of the minors involved was arrested in Charleroi. At 17, he came from a family practicing the Catholic religion. The radicalized young man, who defines himself as a Salafist, has been attending a mosque for a year and a half, but he considers it too lax. A relative confides: “In barely a year, his attitude changed: beard, long hair, prayer clothes. He became cold, distant, closed, moralizing. To those who feared religious radicalization, he brushed aside their fears and responded tirelessly that he had simply found faith…”
Currently, the federal prosecutor’s office is still seeking to identify certain active profiles on the group, entitled “Dawlatal Islam Baqiyah”, which means “The Islamic State will persist”.
During the searches, no weapons or explosives were discovered, but the determination of the young people to take action seems very real. “They can begin to carry out their act by looking, for example, for plans of the place in which they intend to commit the attack or by looking for weapons to kill and injure. These acts are already the beginning of the “execution of a terrorist attack, which was previously announced between them or on social networks,” explains Henri Laquay, lawyer specializing in criminal law.
Tony Rice says
First of all Notre Dame ( hence French authorities won’t release details of their investigation ) but now the other French but international icon, EIFFEL TOWER
Mike says
Back in 1994, there were some Algerian Muslim terrorists who planned to fly a hijacked plane into the Eiffel Tower, but the plot was thwarted by the French army.
Back then, I think some people in the French government tried to warn American officials that terrorists would eventually fly planes into U S. buildings or landmarks, but the warnings weren’t really heeded until 9/11.
And now, with so many illegal migrants getting into the U.S. from Mexico….
kasahun says
To our true humanity, we tend to be good and be good to us and our fox. Yet when we add some form of religion we tend to be influensed and change to the worest or best. This is what happen to muslims. As soon as they say allah akbere, all the goodness in them changes and they become inhuman. Add to their faith the promises of paradise with all those vergins they want to go and take on all risks to the extent of killing or murdering innocent people.. Now, i know that the evil book quran and their false prophet mohammed are the main facilitators of their evil acts.
Sick Of It says
The most evil ideology is making a play for this planet.The Nazis are a small fraction compared to what our traitors are doing by releasing Islam into our countries.These are bad times,very bad.There is always a beginning and we are past that!
tim gallagher says
It is always stinking, evil, rotten to the core islam and its followers who plan such evil terrorist actions. I’m glad the plan was thwarted. I do wonder whether, if these Muslim scum had actually damaged or destroyed the tower, such a French icon, then, finally, the French might have become enraged enough to really hammer the Muslim enemy scum that are infesting their country. It has to happen one day or France is sunk.
Sc says
Hang then.
jerry glenn says
It would have been such a peaceful explosion.
OLD GUY says
These threats of violence come from a RELIGION? Islamic followers are brain washed into this violence by its cult/political leadership. All non-muslim/islamic countries should close their borders and STOP doing business with this evil cult.