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Paris police killings: Investigation handed to anti-terror prosecutor | Paris police killings: Investigation handed to anti-terror prosecutor |
(32 minutes later) | |
Anti-terror investigators have taken over the inquiry into the killing of four police employees by a colleague in Paris on Thursday. | Anti-terror investigators have taken over the inquiry into the killing of four police employees by a colleague in Paris on Thursday. |
A 45-year-old IT specialist killed three police officers and an administrative worker in a knife rampage at Paris police headquarters. | A 45-year-old IT specialist killed three police officers and an administrative worker in a knife rampage at Paris police headquarters. |
A motive is unclear, with a police union initially suggesting a workplace dispute was to blame. | A motive is unclear, with a police union initially suggesting a workplace dispute was to blame. |
But investigators say new information justifies a terror probe. | But investigators say new information justifies a terror probe. |
The attacker, Mickaël Harpon, was shot dead by a junior police officer after he attacked colleagues in several offices at the central police building in Paris. | The attacker, Mickaël Harpon, was shot dead by a junior police officer after he attacked colleagues in several offices at the central police building in Paris. |
He converted to Islam 18 months ago, according to reports, and had recently stopped talking to female colleagues in the office. But a government spokeswoman said on Friday morning that there was no indication he had been radicalised before the attack. | He converted to Islam 18 months ago, according to reports, and had recently stopped talking to female colleagues in the office. But a government spokeswoman said on Friday morning that there was no indication he had been radicalised before the attack. |
What do we know about the motive? | What do we know about the motive? |
Police investigators initially said there was no indication the attack was an act of terror but Paris police chief Didier Lallement later told reporters no theory was being ruled out. | |
Until now, the case had been handled by the city's public prosecutor. | |
This changed on Friday evening when an official from the prosecutor's office said that national anti-terror prosecutors had taken over the investigation "in the light of the evidence gathered by criminal investigators". | |
Details of the new information uncovered have not been revealed. | |
But according to Reuters, quoting judicial sources, the move came about after several people close to the attacker, including his wife, were interrogated and his mobile phone analysed. | |
Police earlier seized computer equipment during a search of Harpon's home in the north of the city, according to media reports. | Police earlier seized computer equipment during a search of Harpon's home in the north of the city, according to media reports. |
The killer's wife on Friday reportedly told police that he had been incoherent and had heard voices the night before the attack. | |
The woman, who is being detained but has not been charged, told police her husband had had a disagreement with his bosses. | |
Police union officials also described tensions between Harpon and his supervisor. | Police union officials also described tensions between Harpon and his supervisor. |
Harpon, who was born in the French overseas territory of Martinique in the Caribbean, worked in the force's intelligence unit. He also had a hearing and a speech disability. | |
What happened? | What happened? |
The employee entered the building around lunchtime on Thursday, and proceeded to attack his colleagues with a kitchen knife. | The employee entered the building around lunchtime on Thursday, and proceeded to attack his colleagues with a kitchen knife. |
He stabbed three people inside two offices and two women on a stairway, before he was shot dead by an officer inside the building's courtyard. | He stabbed three people inside two offices and two women on a stairway, before he was shot dead by an officer inside the building's courtyard. |
Three men and one woman were killed. A fifth person was seriously injured. | Three men and one woman were killed. A fifth person was seriously injured. |
The police building is near major tourist sites including Notre-Dame cathedral. | The police building is near major tourist sites including Notre-Dame cathedral. |
Earlier on Friday, a minute's silence was held outside the headquarters in memory of the four staff who died. | Earlier on Friday, a minute's silence was held outside the headquarters in memory of the four staff who died. |
Police shared a photo of the gathering on Twitter, calling it a "moment of contemplation" that was "deeply moving". | Police shared a photo of the gathering on Twitter, calling it a "moment of contemplation" that was "deeply moving". |
The police officer who shot dead the attacker had only been in his job for six days, according to Mr Lallement. |