2020 Paris stabbing attack

On September 25, 2020, two people were injured in a stabbing outside the former headquarters of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris. The magazine's headquarters had previously been the site of an Islamic terrorist attack in 2015.[1]

2020 Paris stabbing attack
Part of Islamic terrorism in Europe
Location10 Rue Nicolas-Appert, 11th arrondissement of Paris, France
Date25 September 2020 (2020-09-25)
Attack type
Stabbing
WeaponsKnife
Deaths0
Injured2
MotiveIslamic extremism, jihadism
For the stabbing of two Muslim women under the Eiffel Tower, see List of Islamophobic incidents § France.

The French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin considered this to be "clearly an act of Islamist terrorism." [2]

A man from Pakistan, suspected of carrying out the attacks, was arrested near the scene.[3] Six other suspects were subsequently arrested in Paris in connection with the attack.[4]

Investigation

Main suspect

The main suspect was identified as a 25-year-old man,[5] who is charged with "attempted murder in association with a terrorist enterprise."[6][7] The suspect acknowledged having carried out the attack for religious reasons.[8] His age is unclear, as he claimed to be 18 in order to be eligible for social welfare benefits.[5]

Before the attack, he stated in a video that he was seeking vengeance against Charlie Hebdo for publishing caricatures of Islam's prophet Muhammad.[9]

The suspect left his village in the Punjab region in Pakistan in early 2018 and came to Europe, following his brothers and other young men from the village. According to Associated Press, villagers considered the suspect a hero for carrying out the Paris attack. The suspect's father championed his son's actions, but was warned by Pakistani police against speaking publicly.[9]

In France, the suspect moved to Pantin, a working-class district with many immigrants from North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and Pakistan. He shared an apartment with several other Pakistanis above a Hookah bar.[10]

Four arrested in December 2020

In December 2020, four Pakistanis aged 17 to 21 were found to have been in contact with the assailant by authorities and were taken into custody. Two were apprehended in the Gironde, a third in Caen and the fourth in the Paris region. According to authorities, they had "spread their ideology and one of them had expressed his hatred against France before the attack". The investigation had also found numerous messages published on the TikTok social media network where the suspects expressed their hatred towards Muhammad caricatures and "glorified" the assault by their compatriot.[11]

See also

References
  1. "French police detain main suspect in 'symbolic' attack outside Charlie Hebdo's former office". France 24. September 25, 2020.
  2. "Paris: Knife attack near former Charlie Hebdo office 'clearly' act of terrorism | DW | 25.09.2020". Deutsche Welle.
  3. Méheut, Constant (September 26, 2020). "Paris Attack Suspect Said It Was Aimed at Paper That Mocked Islam's Prophet". New York Times.
  4. "Seven detained after knife attack near ex-Charlie Hebdo offices". BBC News. September 26, 2020.
  5. "Attaque à Paris : l'assaillant a reconnu être âgé de 25 ans et non 18". Le Figaro.fr (in French). 2020-09-29. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  6. "ATTAQUE À PARIS : ZAHEER HASSAN MAHMOUD MIS EN EXAMEN ET ÉCROUÉ POUR «TENTATIVES D'ASSASSINATS» TERRORISTES". C News France (in French). AFP. 30 September 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020. ...a été présenté à un juge d'instruction qui l'a mis en examen pour "tentatives d'assassinats en relation avec une entreprise terroriste"
  7. "Suspected Paris knife attacker to be charged with attempted murder". euronews. September 29, 2020.
  8. "Attaque au couteau à Paris : le profil du suspect, Hassan Mahmoud, se précise". L'Internaute (in French). 29 September 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020. Le principal suspect, Zaheer Hassan Mahmoud, a reconnu avoir attaqué deux personnes dans la rue, pour des motifs religieux. [The main suspect, Zaheer Hassan Mahmoud, admitted to attacking two people in the street, on religious grounds.]
  9. "Before attack, a Pakistani teen sought better life in France". AP NEWS. 2020-10-08. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
  10. "Before attack, a Pakistani teen sought better life in France". AP NEWS. 2020-10-08. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
  11. "Attaque devant les ex-locaux de Charlie Hebdo : quatre interpellations dont deux en Gironde". SudOuest.fr (in French). Retrieved 2020-12-31.
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