Strasbourg Christmas Market: Suspects Released After Terror Allegation Probe

The custody of the first of the two Chechens arrested on Wednesday in front of the cathedral in Strasbourg was lifted on Thursday evening, while that of the second on Friday. The investigation was continuing but for the time being "nothing could be held against them," said the same source.

Searches and analyzes of their phones were carried out and did not reveal "any membership in anything whatsoever," according to the same source.

One of the two men lives in Strasbourg while the other, also a French resident, had come to visit him, she said.

Both had been spotted on Wednesday afternoon in front of the cathedral, located in the heart of the Christmas market that opened on November 22. They were surprised by a CRS patrol while they were taking "selfies," their index finger "pointed to the sky," a sign of allegiance to IS. They had been placed in custody for "glorification of terrorism," a police source had said.