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| Man Who Killed 2 in France Had Been Sentenced for Terrorist Recruitment | Man Who Killed 2 in France Had Been Sentenced for Terrorist Recruitment |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| PARIS — A man who fatally stabbed a police captain and his companion on Monday, in an attack claimed by the Islamic State, had been sentenced to prison in 2013 for membership in a group that was planning terrorist activities, French officials said on Tuesday. But the man was released almost immediately after his trial, for reasons that remain unclear. | PARIS — A man who fatally stabbed a police captain and his companion on Monday, in an attack claimed by the Islamic State, had been sentenced to prison in 2013 for membership in a group that was planning terrorist activities, French officials said on Tuesday. But the man was released almost immediately after his trial, for reasons that remain unclear. |
| On Monday evening, the man, Larossi Abballa, 25, attacked the police captain outside his home in Magnanville, a village about 35 miles from Paris. He then entered the house and killed the officer’s companion, who also worked for the French Interior Ministry, in the presence of the couple’s 3-year-old son. Around midnight, elite police forces stormed the house, killing Mr. Abballa and rescuing the child, according to the Interior Ministry. | On Monday evening, the man, Larossi Abballa, 25, attacked the police captain outside his home in Magnanville, a village about 35 miles from Paris. He then entered the house and killed the officer’s companion, who also worked for the French Interior Ministry, in the presence of the couple’s 3-year-old son. Around midnight, elite police forces stormed the house, killing Mr. Abballa and rescuing the child, according to the Interior Ministry. |
| Mr. Abballa posted photographs and a video of the killings on his Facebook account, according to David Thomson, a French journalist who specializes in covering jihadists. Mr. Thomson posted screenshots from the video on his Twitter account. Mr. Abballa’s Facebook page has now been taken down and it was not clear if the video had been taken during or after the attacks. | |
| President François Hollande of France, speaking at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris on Tuesday morning, said it was “indisputably a terrorist incident.” | President François Hollande of France, speaking at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris on Tuesday morning, said it was “indisputably a terrorist incident.” |
| Mr. Abballa was one of eight men convicted in Paris in 2013 of aiding a group that had been intending to commit terrorist acts and that had planned to go to Pakistan for training. | Mr. Abballa was one of eight men convicted in Paris in 2013 of aiding a group that had been intending to commit terrorist acts and that had planned to go to Pakistan for training. |
| He was sentenced to three years in prison, but six months of that sentence was suspended, and his time was then further reduced for two years he had already spent in jail, a common practice in France. | He was sentenced to three years in prison, but six months of that sentence was suspended, and his time was then further reduced for two years he had already spent in jail, a common practice in France. |
| He was then released immediately after the trial, although he was under surveillance for two years, French law enforcement officials said. | He was then released immediately after the trial, although he was under surveillance for two years, French law enforcement officials said. |
| A statement issued in Arabic by the news agency Amaq, which is linked to the Islamic State, said: “Islamic State fighter kills deputy chief of the police station in the city of Les Mureaux and his wife with blade weapons,” according to a translation provided by the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadist websites. | A statement issued in Arabic by the news agency Amaq, which is linked to the Islamic State, said: “Islamic State fighter kills deputy chief of the police station in the city of Les Mureaux and his wife with blade weapons,” according to a translation provided by the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadist websites. |
| (The town of Les Mureaux is about 10 miles east of Magnanville; both are part of the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region, which includes Paris.) | (The town of Les Mureaux is about 10 miles east of Magnanville; both are part of the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region, which includes Paris.) |
| The attack in Magnanville came amid jitters over the European Championship soccer tournament, also known as Euro 2016, which has been accompanied by multiple official warnings of possible terrorist attacks in France. | The attack in Magnanville came amid jitters over the European Championship soccer tournament, also known as Euro 2016, which has been accompanied by multiple official warnings of possible terrorist attacks in France. |
| It also occurred a day after a gunman who had declared his allegiance to the Islamic State slaughtered 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., the worst mass shooting in United States history. | It also occurred a day after a gunman who had declared his allegiance to the Islamic State slaughtered 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., the worst mass shooting in United States history. |
| The Magnanville attack has already prompted calls in France for more stringent handling of those convicted of terrorism-related activities. | The Magnanville attack has already prompted calls in France for more stringent handling of those convicted of terrorism-related activities. |
| On early morning broadcasts on Tuesday, some members of Parliament called for all people suspected of potential terrorist leanings to be placed in detention. | On early morning broadcasts on Tuesday, some members of Parliament called for all people suspected of potential terrorist leanings to be placed in detention. |
| However, France is already stretched to the limit, both in prison capacity and in the numbers of suspects it can keep tabs on. The police and intelligence agencies are said to be working constantly to keep up with numerous would-be jihadists. | However, France is already stretched to the limit, both in prison capacity and in the numbers of suspects it can keep tabs on. The police and intelligence agencies are said to be working constantly to keep up with numerous would-be jihadists. |
| The antiterrorism directorate of the judicial police and of the internal security department of the Interior Ministry have detained 100 people this year because of suspicions that they have links to terrorism, Bernard Cazeneuve, the interior minister, said early Tuesday. He added that the terrorism threat in France was “high.” | The antiterrorism directorate of the judicial police and of the internal security department of the Interior Ministry have detained 100 people this year because of suspicions that they have links to terrorism, Bernard Cazeneuve, the interior minister, said early Tuesday. He added that the terrorism threat in France was “high.” |
| In testimony before the National Defense and Armed Forces Commission of the National Assembly, the lower house of the French Parliament, on May 10, Patrick Calvar, the head of domestic intelligence, said that about 2,000 French citizens or residents were of concern to the security forces. | In testimony before the National Defense and Armed Forces Commission of the National Assembly, the lower house of the French Parliament, on May 10, Patrick Calvar, the head of domestic intelligence, said that about 2,000 French citizens or residents were of concern to the security forces. |
| He testified that at least 645 French citizens or residents of France were in Syria, and that about 400 of those were participating in military operations. | He testified that at least 645 French citizens or residents of France were in Syria, and that about 400 of those were participating in military operations. |
| An additional 201 French citizens or residents are in transit, either traveling to Syria or returning to France from that country or from Iraq, and 173 are presumed dead, Mr. Calvar said, adding that the number of dead was probably higher. | |
| In addition, 244 French citizens have returned to France from Syria or Iraq, and the French intelligence services say they have identified an additional 818 people who they believe want to join extremists. | |
| The French authorities have repeatedly said that it is impossible to monitor all of them round the clock. | The French authorities have repeatedly said that it is impossible to monitor all of them round the clock. |
| Mr. Abballa did not seem to be the most dangerous jihadist at his trial, but he was one of the most determined, said Hervé Denis, a lawyer who represented Zohab Ifzar, one of the eight men who were accused and convicted in the case. | Mr. Abballa did not seem to be the most dangerous jihadist at his trial, but he was one of the most determined, said Hervé Denis, a lawyer who represented Zohab Ifzar, one of the eight men who were accused and convicted in the case. |
| Mr. Abballa was arrested on May 14, 2011, and spent two years in prison before his trial in 2013. He lived in Les Mureaux but was born in Meulan-en-Yvelines, a nearby town. Mr. Abballa was a French citizen and had been unemployed at the time of his arrest, Mr. Denis said. | Mr. Abballa was arrested on May 14, 2011, and spent two years in prison before his trial in 2013. He lived in Les Mureaux but was born in Meulan-en-Yvelines, a nearby town. Mr. Abballa was a French citizen and had been unemployed at the time of his arrest, Mr. Denis said. |
| The police captain killed on Monday had nothing to do with the investigation that resulted in Mr. Abballa’s going to jail, and Mr. Abballa never carried out his plan to go to Pakistan, although he had wanted to, Mr. Denis said. “At the trial, Abballa seemed like someone who was not dangerous but was rather stupid,” Mr. Denis added. | The police captain killed on Monday had nothing to do with the investigation that resulted in Mr. Abballa’s going to jail, and Mr. Abballa never carried out his plan to go to Pakistan, although he had wanted to, Mr. Denis said. “At the trial, Abballa seemed like someone who was not dangerous but was rather stupid,” Mr. Denis added. |
| “He appeared to be the perfect soldier,” Mr. Denis said — someone who would do whatever was needed to help the effort — and he was “very determined.” | “He appeared to be the perfect soldier,” Mr. Denis said — someone who would do whatever was needed to help the effort — and he was “very determined.” |
| Ramadan, the Muslim holy month that is dedicated to fasting and prayer, has historically been a time when Al Qaeda, and recently the Islamic State, have escalated attacks. In his annual pre-Ramadan speech, the Islamic State spokesman, Abu Muhammad al-Adnani — who had not issued a statement in approximately seven months — re-emerged to call on the group’s followers to carry out assaults in Europe and America. | Ramadan, the Muslim holy month that is dedicated to fasting and prayer, has historically been a time when Al Qaeda, and recently the Islamic State, have escalated attacks. In his annual pre-Ramadan speech, the Islamic State spokesman, Abu Muhammad al-Adnani — who had not issued a statement in approximately seven months — re-emerged to call on the group’s followers to carry out assaults in Europe and America. |
| “The smallest action you do in the heart of their land is dearer to us than the largest action by us,” Mr. Adnani declared in the speech, which was uploaded on May 21 to Telegram, a messenger service, and to Twitter. | “The smallest action you do in the heart of their land is dearer to us than the largest action by us,” Mr. Adnani declared in the speech, which was uploaded on May 21 to Telegram, a messenger service, and to Twitter. |
| In France, much of the public focus this summer has been on avoiding a repeat of anything like the Islamic State attacks that killed 130 people in and near Paris on Nov. 13. | In France, much of the public focus this summer has been on avoiding a repeat of anything like the Islamic State attacks that killed 130 people in and near Paris on Nov. 13. |
| But lone-wolf attacks such as those encouraged by the Islamic State are perhaps hardest to prevent because they are so difficult to detect. (President Obama expressed alarm on Monday about the phenomenon of “homegrown extremism.”) | But lone-wolf attacks such as those encouraged by the Islamic State are perhaps hardest to prevent because they are so difficult to detect. (President Obama expressed alarm on Monday about the phenomenon of “homegrown extremism.”) |
| In June 2015, an employee at a small trucking company beheaded his boss and tried to set off an explosion at an American-owned chemical and gas factory near Lyon, France. The man, Yassine Salhi, appears to have had a friend who had gone to Syria to join the Islamic State, and Mr. Salhi sent him pictures of the beheading. | In June 2015, an employee at a small trucking company beheaded his boss and tried to set off an explosion at an American-owned chemical and gas factory near Lyon, France. The man, Yassine Salhi, appears to have had a friend who had gone to Syria to join the Islamic State, and Mr. Salhi sent him pictures of the beheading. |
| Mr. Salhi killed himself in prison in December while awaiting trial. | Mr. Salhi killed himself in prison in December while awaiting trial. |
| The beheading, like the stabbing on Monday evening, took place during Ramadan. | The beheading, like the stabbing on Monday evening, took place during Ramadan. |