Racist Attack in French Town Leaves Tunisian Man Dead, Turkish Neighbor Wounded

A 53-year-old man of French nationality killed one of his neighbors, of Tunisian nationality, and wounded another, of Turkish nationality, in Puget-sur-Argens (Var) on Saturday, May 31, in the evening, the public prosecutor of Draguignan stated the following day. The suspect had fled in his vehicle after committing the act. He wouldn’t go far. Following a report from his partner, he was arrested by the GIGN and then placed in custody. Several weapons were found in his vehicle, "including an automatic pistol, a pump-action shotgun, and a handgun," added the magistrate, Pierre Couttenier. On Monday, the National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor’s Office (Pnat) took over the investigation after becoming aware of the racist videos that the suspect had posted on social media before and after the incident.

This sport shooting enthusiast wanted to "disturb public order through terror." The individual, in the name of "allegiance to the French flag," in one of the videos viewed by franceinfo, first insulted "Islamics and wogs," then called on the French to go after them where they are and to vote for what needs to be voted. "Tonight, we’re going to shoot them up," the suspect continues. "Tonight, I’m going to die. All the illegal immigrants, I’m going to shoot them," says the man in his fifties. "Only the GIGN will stop me," he concludes. The investigation is open for "assassination in relation to a terrorist enterprise, committed due to race, ethnicity, nation or religion," "attempted assassination in relation to a terrorist enterprise, committed due to race, ethnicity, nation or religion" and "terrorist criminal conspiracy with a view to preparing one or more crimes against persons."

On BFM TV, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau denounced a racist and premeditated crime. "Racism in France is a poison that kills," he added. The crime is "the result of an atmosphere that has existed in the country for several months, several years now, and which is hardening a little more each day," says the family’s lawyer, Mourad Battikh on France Info. He adds: "No one is fooled about the context and political climate that reign in France today." The lawyer, who is also handling the case of the murder of Aboubakar Cissé in the mosque of La Grand-Combe, in the Gard, at the end of April, welcomed the Pnat’s involvement in the murder that occurred in Puget-sur-Argens: "I had told the National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor’s Office: be careful, this is not an isolated case, this is not a fait divers, what is happening is the result of something broader that is getting out of hand. Today, unfortunately, the facts prove me right." For its part, the mayor’s office of Puget-sur-Argens calls for calm while awaiting the conclusions of the ongoing investigation.

In Tunisia, the Minister of the Interior, Khaled Nouri, expressed his sadness and discontent. He also asked "to ensure the protection of the Tunisian community on French territory" and called on the French authorities to "adopt a proactive approach to prevent such crimes and ensure they do not happen again."