Mohammed M.: the author of the assassination of the Arras professor, a radicalized former student of Chechen origin?

A knife attack took place in the Gambetta high school in Arras, this Friday, October 13. A teacher was killed and two other people were killed. injured. The alleged author Facts is a former student 20-year-old of Chechen origin.

Late in the morning, Friday October 13, a man entered the house. in the city Gambetta-Carnot school in Arras (Pas-de-Calais) armed with of a knife. A French teacher has been there. killed by the assailant and two other people were killed. injured. One of the victims is a PE teacher and although in serious condition, his vital prognosis is not expected. The second is a technical agent and would be in a state of absolute emergency. The alleged author of the attack is aged 20 years old. Of Chechen origin, he was born in in Russia and arrived in France in 2008.

The suspect is a former student of the attacked establishment. this Friday. While his former teachers remember him as a "reserved student" and calm”, young Mohammed M. was stuck in the house. S for radicalization since the beginning of October 2023, according to Le Parisien. His ex-PE teacher says he saw no sign of his radicalization at the time. at the time and assures us that “we could never have suspected this.” Upon entering the high school grounds, he would have shouted: "Allah Akhbar" before moving on to the attack. The suspect was arrested. arrested quickly according to the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin.

The author of the knife attack Arras would have been controlled the day before the facts according to BFMTV, without any offense having been committed. observed. He was the subject of "multiple intelligence techniques" adds the news channel, but his recent telephone conversations had not evidenced a desire to attack him. to move on to the act soon.

The willé to commit an attack?

Le Monde confirms that "since this summer", he was "placed" listened to and monitored physically" through security interior. But it would be similar to "" a radicalized individual whose potential is known but who suddenly decides to move on to the act, making it difficult to neutralize.

These elements seem in any case to be taken seriously, in addition to the circumstances of the Arras attack, since the national anti-terrorist prosecution has announced take up the matter. The national anti-terrorism package announced on his side open an investigation for "assassination in relation to a terrorist enterprise", "attempted assassination in relation to a terrorist enterprise" and "terrorist criminal association with a view to preparing crimes against people".

The anti-terrorist sub-directorate of the national directorate of the judicial police (SDAT), the directorate National Office of the Judicial Police (DNPJ) and the General Directorate of Security Interior Ministry (DGSI) are in charge of the investigations.

A family with a past judicial

Following; the attack allegedly perpetrated by Mohammed M, the latter's little brother, aged aged 16, was also arrested. The eldest of the two brothers had been arrested in 2019 by the DGSI after a foiled attack plan. and apologetic facts. He was condemned five years in prison for "terrorist criminal associations" in April 2023, according to a source cited by TF1/LCI. Their father would also have been in prison according to information from RTL.

The assailant looking for a history teacher

For the moment, the exact reasons for Mohammed M.'s action have not been established. revealed. Act to purely terrorist character, resentment towards his former high school, the teaching staff or the professor targeted; especially ? A high school sports teacher questioned by the Voix du Nord, which was the assailant's teacher three years ago, in any case mentioned "a solitary student, with whom we could talk but who was withdrawn".

Another professor, this time of philosophy, provides a semblance of a lead. While attending the the scene, he explains having tried to to intervene but was pursued by the assailant who allegedly asked him to if he was a history-geography professor. It is also the discipline taught by Samuel Paty, assassinated in Paris. just three years ago or almost in front of his college in Conflans-Sainte Honorine. A course on freedom expression, as part of a moral and civic education course, which depends in particular on history teachers, had been à the origin of the attacker's gesture…