France Arrests 47-Year-Old Man Who Contacted Suspect in Nice Terror Attack

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Buaeri] A 47-year-old man who had contact with the terror suspect who committed murder inside Notre-Dame Cathedral in Nice, southern France, was arrested by the police.

On the 30th (local time), according to French regional media, judicial authorities secured evidence that the man had exchanged contact with the suspect, Braim Aouisawi (21), who came to France from North Africa Tunisia, the day before the crime, and arrested him on the afternoon of the 29th.

However, it has not yet been confirmed whether this man conspired with the suspect in the crime.

Aouisawi is accused of arriving at the cathedral around 8:30 a.m. on the 29th and killing three people, including worshippers and the cathedral caretaker, with a pre-prepared weapon inside the cathedral, which has no closed-circuit television (CCTV), for 30 minutes.

Aouisawi shouted "God is great" in Arabic and threatened police officers he encountered in the corridor with a weapon, but was shot by police at 9:04 a.m. and collapsed. He was taken to the hospital and underwent surgery but remains in critical condition.

On the morning of the crime, Aouisawi arrived at Nice Station at 6:47 a.m., stayed at the station for nearly an hour and a half, wore his outerwear inside out, changed his shoes, and left the station at 8:13 a.m. heading toward the cathedral.

He left Tunisia on a small boat on September 14, arrived at Lampedusa Island, the southernmost part of Italy, on September 20, and was confirmed to have moved to Bari in southern Italy on October 9, but the rest of his whereabouts remain unknown.

French authorities are investigating the motive and movement route based on two mobile phones found at the crime scene.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.