Two of the men suspected of having supplied the revolver used by the author of the Strasbourg attack in 2018 have been released under judicial supervision, we learned on Friday from the anti-terrorist prosecutor's office, confirming information from the Latest News from Alsace.
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The two men, aged 79 and 35, were released on March 19 and Friday respectively after filing an application accepted by the judges, said the national anti-terrorist prosecutor (Pnat), who did not oppose it. The senior's age and state of health were taken into account, it was added, without specifying whether these releases were linked to the health situation created by the coronavirus epidemic.
Coming from the same settled community of Travelers, both and a third family member had been imprisoned after their indictment on February 2, 2019 for " criminal terrorist criminal association " and " possession and transfer of firearm from category B in meetings and in relation to a terrorist enterprise . The investigation aims to determine whether they were aware of the profile and the jihadist project of Chérif Chekatt, who killed five people near the Christmas market on December 17, 2018.
According to a source familiar with the matter, these suspects said they believed the weapon, a late 19th century revolver, to be used for robbery. According to the youngest's lawyer, Me Dominique Bergmann, these releases were accepted because " the investigation is already well advanced ", but also because " the question of this health crisis was fundamental ". Joined by AFP, the elder's lawyers, Pierre-François Feltesse and Chloé Redon, did not wish to speak. The two men had been imprisoned for 14 months in Nanterre.
A 29-year-old multi-recidivist criminal with an S file for Islamist radicalization, Cherif Chekatt was shot dead by the police in Strasbourg after 48 hours of stalking. A video of allegiance to the Islamic State group was found on a USB key belonging to it. At least six people are under investigation as part of this investigation, suspected of being linked to the supply of various weapons in the possession of the killer.