Italian police arrest French suspect in ‘anti-Muslim’ mosque murder

An “Islamophobic attack” in a mosque in southern France has led to the arrest of a man in Italy.

Two days after the attack at the mosque in La Grand Combe, a former mining town in the Gard region, the suspect turned himself in at a police station near Florence late on Sunday. The murder of the Malian man has been labeled as “racist” and “anti-Muslim” crimes.

The suspect, who was born in 2004 and had no prior criminal history, entered Italy before turning himself in, according to the French Ministry of Interior.

Abdelkrim Grini, the public prosecutor in the southern city of Ales in Gard, claimed that police had been pursuing the suspect after he fled France, adding that it was only a matter of time before we could track him.

He continued, “The anti-Muslim motivation is the preferred lead,” but he also noted that authorities were also looking into other causes, including a “fascination with death.”

Following the attack, which was later reported online and was later recorded on the suspect’s phone, authorities launched a manhunt on Friday.

Before beginning the assault, the attacker allegedly yelled insults to God in security footage.

According to Grini, France will begin extradition proceedings right away. We’ll do everything possible to get him back as quickly as possible.

It is devoir to nommer the things with precision in this time of gathering and gravitation.
Un devoir citoyen and human, as well as a political devoir.

Our condolences and indifference to our indestructible fraternity are shared by the Abu Bakr family, the La Grand-Combe community, the musulmans, and the Abu Bakr family. pic. twitter.com/GRD2cy36mC

Racism and hatred based on religion will never have a place in France, according to President Emmanuel Macron. Religion’s freedom is unbreakable.

Prior, Francois Bayrou, the prime minister, described the incident as “Islamophobic.”

The victim, a 20-year-old man who had been cleaning the mosque shortly before the attack, was identified by the Grand Mosque of Paris as Aboubakar.

Over the weekend, activists in La Grand Combe and Paris staged demonstrations in support of the victim and demanded more aggressive action against anti-Muslim violence.