PARIS – The man who drove his car into a crowd in western France on Wednesday is suspected of “self-radicalisation” and had “explicit religious references” at his home, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez revealed on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters, Nunez said the suspect shouted “Allahu Akbar” during the attack on Oleron Island, which left five people injured. “Based on several factors, and the religious references found, there are clear indications of self-radicalisation,” he said.
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However, Nunez cautioned that it was still too early to determine whether religious extremism was the main motivation behind the attack. “It is now up to the national terrorism prosecutor’s office to assess this through psychiatric evaluations, searches, and examination of the suspect’s phone records,” he added.
Two of the victims remain in critical condition, described as being in “absolute health emergency” by authorities. The investigation into the motive and background of the attacker is ongoing.
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