The terrorist who killed three people with a knife on October 29, 2020 in the Notre-Dame de l'Assomption basilica in Nice (Alpes-Maritimes) was apparently considering going to Paris to carry out an attack, France Info reported this Wednesday May 5.
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Nice would have been an alternative target, a plan B. A series of text messages found in Brahim Issaoui's phone after the attack enabled investigators to become convinced that the latter was primarily targeting the capital to launch his attack.
According to
France Info
, certain messages, sent before his entry into France, evoke his desire to join Paris and its Eiffel Tower at all costs.
In an audio message addressed to a friend, Brahim Issaoui would have qualified Paris as the capital "
of a country of disbelievers
".
Paris, "this is the goal of all terrorists"
Having left Tunisia before passing through Italy and joining Nice on the evening of October 27, the 21-year-old terrorist would not have succeeded in collecting the 150 euros needed to take the TGV to Paris.
In addition, the investigation does not yet allow to prove that this man had a plan of attack in the capital and that he chose to strike Nice by default, qualified a source close to the file to
France Info.
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“
It is clear that it is Paris that he was aiming for.
This is the goal of all terrorists,
”said Me Samia Maktouf, lawyer for the family of Vincent Loques, the sacristan killed in the basilica.
For the lawyer, interviewed by
France Info
, “
Nice was a fallback decision
”.
The latter also maintains the conviction that Brahim Issaoui was "
remotely guided, he could not act alone
".
The terrorist, who survived after his attack, was heard recently by investigators.
He did not provide any information and said he suffered from amnesia.
At this point, no accomplices have been identified in this case.
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