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Report Faults French Police Over Killings Report Faults French Police Over Killings
(35 minutes later)
PARIS — In a highly critical report made public on Tuesday, police inspectors detailed a string of “objective failures” by French security and intelligence services regarding Mohammed Merah, the self-proclaimed jihadist who shot and killed seven people in southern France in March.PARIS — In a highly critical report made public on Tuesday, police inspectors detailed a string of “objective failures” by French security and intelligence services regarding Mohammed Merah, the self-proclaimed jihadist who shot and killed seven people in southern France in March.
Written by the General Inspectorate of the National Police, the report faulted the French police and domestic intelligence agencies for failing to coordinate their work. Written by the General Inspectorate of the National Police, the report faulted the French police and domestic intelligence agencies as failing to coordinate their work.
After tracking Mr. Merah, 23, for several years, they halted their surveillance just months before the killings for reasons that remain unclear. Mr. Merah, who said he had joined Al Qaeda and trained with jihadist fighters in Pakistan, was killed in a shootout with the police.After tracking Mr. Merah, 23, for several years, they halted their surveillance just months before the killings for reasons that remain unclear. Mr. Merah, who said he had joined Al Qaeda and trained with jihadist fighters in Pakistan, was killed in a shootout with the police.
At the time of the killings, French officials presented him as a “lone wolf” whose radical profile had escaped the attention of authorities. But the report released Tuesday contradicted that claim, and described failures to share information or to act promptly on inquiries as well as an ineffectual system of screening air travelers that allowed Mr. Merah to fly to Pakistan in August 2011 without the authorities being alerted.At the time of the killings, French officials presented him as a “lone wolf” whose radical profile had escaped the attention of authorities. But the report released Tuesday contradicted that claim, and described failures to share information or to act promptly on inquiries as well as an ineffectual system of screening air travelers that allowed Mr. Merah to fly to Pakistan in August 2011 without the authorities being alerted.
Though he had been “the object of the attention of intelligence services” since 2006, a 2010 legal complaint against Mr. Merah, who had reportedly shown a young boy a video of beheadings in Afghanistan, was never brought to the attention of the country’s domestic intelligence agency, the report said.Though he had been “the object of the attention of intelligence services” since 2006, a 2010 legal complaint against Mr. Merah, who had reportedly shown a young boy a video of beheadings in Afghanistan, was never brought to the attention of the country’s domestic intelligence agency, the report said.
Only in early 2011, after his arrest in Afghanistan, did the domestic intelligence service request a “deep investigation” into Mr. Merah’s activities, according to the report. The surveillance and investigation that followed demonstrated Mr. Merah’s “Islamist profile,” as well as his “extremely mistrustful behavior and his potential radicality,” the report said.Only in early 2011, after his arrest in Afghanistan, did the domestic intelligence service request a “deep investigation” into Mr. Merah’s activities, according to the report. The surveillance and investigation that followed demonstrated Mr. Merah’s “Islamist profile,” as well as his “extremely mistrustful behavior and his potential radicality,” the report said.
That information was not handled quickly by intelligence administrators in Paris, however, according to the report; nor did the regional service that kept watch on Mr. Merah in Toulouse press their colleagues for a response. Mr. Merah would not be interviewed by French intelligence agents for several more months.That information was not handled quickly by intelligence administrators in Paris, however, according to the report; nor did the regional service that kept watch on Mr. Merah in Toulouse press their colleagues for a response. Mr. Merah would not be interviewed by French intelligence agents for several more months.
In August 2011, after the surveillance had been stopped, Mr. Merah traveled to Pakistan, where he apparently received training from jihadist fighters in the tribal zone bordering Afghanistan.In August 2011, after the surveillance had been stopped, Mr. Merah traveled to Pakistan, where he apparently received training from jihadist fighters in the tribal zone bordering Afghanistan.
Though his name was placed on a watch list in January 2011, and European authorities automatically consult that watch list when screening passengers bound for Pakistan or 30 other countries, Mr. Merah escaped notice by French intelligence, the report said, because he was traveling on a connecting flight through Oman, which is not one of the 30 countries.Though his name was placed on a watch list in January 2011, and European authorities automatically consult that watch list when screening passengers bound for Pakistan or 30 other countries, Mr. Merah escaped notice by French intelligence, the report said, because he was traveling on a connecting flight through Oman, which is not one of the 30 countries.
“This situation is not satisfactory,” the report noted dryly.“This situation is not satisfactory,” the report noted dryly.
Apparently unaware that he had left France, intelligence agents tried to call Mr. Merah in for questioning in October 2011, according to the newspaper Le Monde.Apparently unaware that he had left France, intelligence agents tried to call Mr. Merah in for questioning in October 2011, according to the newspaper Le Monde.
When he returned the following month, they met with him in Toulouse, and he explained that he had gone to Pakistan as a tourist to meet the sister of a friend from Toulouse, perhaps to marry her, Le Monde said.When he returned the following month, they met with him in Toulouse, and he explained that he had gone to Pakistan as a tourist to meet the sister of a friend from Toulouse, perhaps to marry her, Le Monde said.
“Lacking preparation,” the agents took Mr. Merah at his word, the report said.“Lacking preparation,” the agents took Mr. Merah at his word, the report said.
President François Hollande has proposed a law that would make it a crime to travel abroad to receive terrorism training, and would allow more extensive surveillance of the Internet and telephone activity of the managers of radical Web sites.President François Hollande has proposed a law that would make it a crime to travel abroad to receive terrorism training, and would allow more extensive surveillance of the Internet and telephone activity of the managers of radical Web sites.