Aurélien C., acquired in the theses of the ultra-right and arrested on Tuesday in Limoges as part of an anti-terrorist investigation, will be presented Friday to an examining magistrate for an indictment, we learned at the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office (Pnat).
This former soldier converted into security and a lover of weapons, was at the end of the morning in the process of being referred to the Paris court after his interrogation in the premises of anti-terrorism in Levallois-Perret (Hauts-de-Seine).
Judicial information must be opened for "individual terrorist enterprise" - a fairly rare qualification, set up for lone wolves - and "breach of arms legislation in connection with a terrorist enterprise", according to the Pnat. The latter will require the suspect to be placed in pre-trial detention.
A worshiper of Brenton Tarrant
The 36-year-old man, who participated in the Yellow Vests movement, was arrested on Tuesday morning after spreading increasingly virulent messages on social networks, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Embracing the ultra-right and anti-Semitic theses, he was the promoter of the discourse on "the great replacement" and "presented himself as a worshiper of Brenton Tarrant", the Australian white supremacist accused of having killed 51 people in two mosques in New Zealand in March 2019, reported another source familiar with the matter.
According to initial investigations, he had searched the Internet for places in the Jewish community in Limoges. While in police custody, he acknowledged his sympathies for far-right ideas but denied that he wanted to attack the Jewish community.
A rifle "to defend oneself"
During the search of his home, investigators found three pyrotechnic devices with bolts on them, a World War II rifle and ammunition, one of the sources said. He claimed to have the rifle "to defend himself", and explained that the pyrotechnic devices were intended for "tests in the forest".
According to an employee of the company where he had worked for 10 years, the security guard had "never had a problem, no deviation". "I think it was someone who was very alone. He had nothing to do with colleagues, ”he added.
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Aurélien C., however, has already been sentenced twice by the justice system: to four months in prison in 2019 for threats against activists of SOS Racisme and to five months in prison in the same year for acquisition and detention without authorization.