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Harpon case: the commission of inquiry denounces “a collective bankruptcy”

2020-02-05T18:55:09.860Z


Éric Ciotti, its president, reconsidered the failures which led to the attack of October 3.


"There was an accumulation of signs" before the killing at the Paris police headquarters (PP), whose author "should never have stayed in a service as sensitive" . The deputy LR of the Alpes-Maritimes, Éric Ciotti, speaks here as president of the parliamentary commission of inquiry charged to clarify the circumstances of this drama, which occurred on October 3 last. He said it on RTL, in the beginning of a progress report presented this Wednesday with his fellow investigators.

Read also: The State powerless in the face of the radicalization of its agents

The elected official adds: "We learned of a collective bankruptcy, taking into account the profile of Mickaël Harpon" , the computer scientist, author of the facts. Recall that the administrative assistant Harpon was in charge of computer maintenance at the Intelligence Directorate of the Prefecture of Police (DRPP). He stabbed four of his colleagues, seriously injuring a fifth person. This attack took place within a service supposed to protect the French against the terrorist threat. No one has been able to prevent this drift.

And yet, is astonished Éric Ciotti, "we are not in the service of gray cards" but "in a service of fight against terrorism where this gentleman was entitled to secret defense" . Harpon had the rights of administrator of the computer network of a key service of the national security system.

Read also: Mickaël Harpon's sulphurous relationships went unnoticed

Even today, the trauma left by this affair is palpable when one enters the "fortress" of the "PP". At the airlock at the entrance which overlooks the courtyard where Harpon attacked his last victims, a plainclothes police officer asked his colleague in access control on Tuesday evening to verify that no one was carrying integrated micro-ceramic blades , for example, credit cards.

On site, everyone now ensures that their visitors are well escorted to the exit. "We can never be too careful in these times , " recognizes a senior official, who continues: "Who could have imagined something like this within our own walls?"

We had a rather edifying testimony from one of his colleagues who said to us: "I had no physical worries but on the other hand, I had worries, given his vulnerability

Éric Ciotti

Eric Ciotti points however to “weak signals in terms of radicalization” which have been “issued several times” . He said: "We had a rather edifying testimony from one of his colleagues who told us:" I had no physical worries, but on the other hand, I had concerns, given his vulnerability, that some use it to capture computer data ” .

Éric Ciotti deplores "what has happened around (Harpon) at the police headquarters for years and the flaws, faults, dysfunctions" that the investigation discovered. According to him, "collective procedures have not been implemented" and "the clearance inquiries were made a little more flexible than elsewhere" . Harpoon "should never have been there," he said.

Read also: Radicalization of Mickaël Harpon: all the lights were red

According to him, at the DRPP, "the reporting procedures were not formalized, there was no radicalization referent" and "no sufficiently developed training procedure" . However, recalls the elected official, "his hierarchy of proximity had detected these faults first his conversion to Islam" , with "a more radical practice of his religion" .

After this appalling observation, the Ciotti commission is especially expected on its proposals. Because other potential Harpooners can hide among the security personnel. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said Tuesday that the police are studying "106 cases" of police suspected of radicalization since the quadruple murder on October 3.

Expanded work

The parliamentary committee could conclude that the Intelligence service of the Paris police headquarters should be attached to the Directorate General of Internal Security (DGSI). In any case, as far as anti-terrorism is concerned. The more traditional mission of territorial intelligence would however remain under the thumb of the prefect of police, as it is precious for anticipating seditious acts and social movements.

Éric Ciotti and his peers have until the end of March to submit their report. Their work will be extended to prevent radicalization in all public services, as well as for all jobs that could be linked to national security, such as jobs in airports, public transport or private security.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2020-02-05

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