Connection of Recent School Stabbing in France to Islamic Extremism, According to Authorities

A Chechen man, previously monitored by French intelligence agencies for potential Islamic radicalization, fatally stabbed a teacher and injured three others at a high school in northern France on a recent Friday, according to officials. The French government subsequently elevated its national threat level to the maximum.

The attack is under scrutiny by anti-terrorism prosecutors and comes amid escalating global tension due to the conflict between Israel and Hamas. This event also follows nearly three years after the decapitation of another teacher, Samuel Paty, by a radicalized individual of Chechen descent in the vicinity of a school in the Paris region.

The accused, who had been under surveillance since the summer for suspected Islamic extremism, was taken into custody the day before the attack for questioning. This followed monitoring of his recent phone calls, stated Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin. No imminent threat was identified during this preliminary investigation. The French intelligence agencies suggested that the ongoing war in the Middle East might have influenced the suspect’s actions.

Identified as Mohamed M. by prosecutors, the suspect remained uncooperative during questioning. Several additional individuals, including the suspect’s younger brother, were also held for further inquiry, stated Jean-Francois Ricard, the national counterterrorism prosecutor.

Emmanuel Macron, President of France, expressed his sentiments at the scene of the crime in Arras, a city located 115 miles north of Paris, stating that France has been “struck again by Islamist terrorism.” The deceased educator was identified as Dominique Bernard, a language teacher at the Gambetta-Carnot school. President Macron noted that Bernard’s actions potentially saved more lives, but two other injured individuals—a security guard and another teacher—are critically ill.

The assailant, a former student of the school, reportedly shouted “Allahu akbar,” which translates to “God is great” in Arabic, multiple times during the course of the attack. The third injured individual was identified as a cleaner at the school.

First responder, Police Officer Sliman Hamzi, found a male victim on the ground outside the school and witnessed the arrest of the assailant. The victim had been attacked so violently that his throat had been slit.

Further information reveals that the suspect is a Russian national born in 2003 of Chechen origin. As recent as Thursday, he had been subject to a police check that yielded no incriminating evidence.

This incident recalls the murder of Samuel Paty on October 16, 2020, also committed by a radicalized individual of Chechen descent.

Prosecutors are contemplating charging the suspect with terror-related murder and attempted murder. President Macron also revealed that another “attempted attack” had been thwarted in a different region of France following the stabbing, although details were not disclosed.

School attacks are uncommon in France; however, increased vigilance has been advised at educational institutions nationwide. The elevated threat level allows for a more substantial police and military presence.

According to Interior Minister Darmanin, 12 individuals near schools or places of worship have been arrested since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict last Saturday. Some of these individuals were reportedly armed and preparing for an attack.

The suspect’s father had been expelled from France in 2018 due to radical activities, and an older brother is currently serving a prison term for terrorism offenses.

The attack occurred against the backdrop of rising global tensions following attacks between Israel and Hamas, resulting in numerous civilian casualties. Amid a surge in antisemitic acts, Darmanin had ordered a ban on all pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

France is home to the third-largest Jewish population globally, following Israel and the U.S., and also has the largest Muslim population in Western Europe.

A moment of silence was observed during a France-Netherlands soccer match to honor the victims of both the Israel-Hamas conflict and the deceased teacher. The Arras school is set to reopen as early as Saturday morning. President Macron urged the French people to remain united, emphasizing that “schools and the transmission of knowledge are at the heart of this fight against ignorance.”

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More about France school stabbing

• France’s National Threat Levels
• Previous Attack on Samuel Paty
• Ongoing Israel-Hamas Conflict
• Profile of Islamic Extremism in France
• France’s Interior Ministry Statements
• France’s Counterterrorism Measures
• Recent Surge in Global Terrorism
• France’s Muslim and Jewish Populations
• French President Emmanuel Macron’s Official Statements
• Anti-terrorism Prosecution in France