Bastille Day killer had no links to ISIS but was a violent misfit ‘obsessed with terrorism’
ISIS has claimed Mohammed Lahouaiej Bouhlel as one of their ‘soldiers’, but prosecutor said there was no evidence of link
THE Bastille Day killer described by ISIS as a “soldier of Islam” was “not at all religious” but a violent misfit obsessed with terrorism, Paris’s most senior prosecutor said yesterday.
Francois Molins, who is leading the investigation into the atrocity, described the mass murderer as a “disturbed loner” who planned his crimes with chilling precision.
"He was not at all religious," said Molins, adding "he did not practice the Muslim religion, he ate pork, drank alcohol, and had an out-of-control sex life."
Mohammed Lahouaiej Bouhlel carried out a “premeditated crime” that saw 84 people, including 10 children, run down and killed by a 19-tonne lorry.
While there is no evidence at this stage that Bouhlel actually had ties with the group calling itself Islamic State – which claimed responsibility for the attack – a search of his computer and mobile phone showed a clear and recent interest for Islamist militancy and violent imagery, Molins told a news conference.
Molins also made it clear that none of the six people being held by cops had any links to ISIS either.
Boulhel carried out reconnaissance visits to the Promenade des Anglais on the two days leading up to July 14th, and took four ‘selfie’ photographs of himself on the day.
He also looked for information about the July 14th festivities, and Googled terms such as "horrible accident", "terrible fatal accident" and "shocking video".
Photos of dead bodies, ISIS flags, and the late terror mastermind Osama bin Laden were all found on a computer at his flat in Nice.
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84 people, including 10 children, were run down and killed by a 19-tonne lorry
Bouhlel was described by his family and neighbours as a violent man, and he grew a beard 'on religious grounds' just eight days before the attack, the prosecutor said.
The French investigation showed Bouhlel had tried in late June to get a 5,000-euro bank loan, which was denied.
Since the beginning of July, Bouhlel looked up verses of the Koran online almost every day, as well as Islamic songs used by Islamic State as propaganda tools.
Commenting on Bouhlel’s apparent motives, Molins said: “Radicalisation can take place rapidly when people are disturbed and fascinated by violence.”
Before the Paris press conference, where Molins spoke, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve had described Bouhlel as “an unbalanced and very violent individual”.
Bouhlel was killed on the night of the massacre as police desperately tried to halt the progress of the truck, which went on a rampage over a 2km stretch for about 45 seconds.
Most of those killed in the attack have now been identified, and dozens more remain in hospital.