Far-Right Terror Plot: Four on Trial for Planned Mosque Attacks in France

The case began in late August 2018, when a man, Alexandre G., ordered chemical products that could be used in the manufacture of explosives, reports Le Parisien. A former soldier and an active participant in a forum called "Waffenkraft", Alexandre attracted the attention of the investigators. Two other members of this private forum were implicated, including a 17-year-old adolescent, the creator of the platform.

The investigation revealed worrying elements. In addition to his efforts to obtain weapons and explosives, Alexandre G. conducted research on potential targets, including mosques and the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF). He is also the author of a manifesto entitled "Guerrilla Tactics and Operations", which outlines various modus operandi to cause maximum damage in a minimum of time.

Arrested a second time in December 2018, Alexandre G. has been incarcerated since then. The investigation was transferred to anti-terrorism judges in March 2019, and two other men were indicted in the spring of the same year. All the accused participated in a shooting session in the forest in July 2018, during which Hitler salutes were photographed.

Among the accused, two individuals seem to stand out: Henri and Alexandre G. The latter admitted to having radicalized after the 2015 attacks, seeing himself in competition with the jihadists. His lawyer claims that he is neither a theorist nor a recruiter, and that he would never have acted. Henri, on the other hand, creator of the "Waffenkraft" forum, described himself as "racialist" and "anti-Jewish". The idea of attacking personalities like Jean-Luc Mélenchon would have been mentioned among the potential targets of the group. The case continues to be the subject of a thorough investigation.