AGENDA 21 RADIO

BY PAUL PRESTON

Karim Cheurfi, a 39-year-old, was known as a threat to the country and described as an ‘extremist’ by authorities, who had placed him on a watch list. It’s believed he was radicalised while serving a 20-year jail sentence for attempting to kill two officers in 2001, before his release last year.

ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack and named the attacker as ‘Abu Yousuf al-Belgiki’, which translates to ‘the Belgian’ in Arabic – a name which was listed in uncovered documents from the terror group last year.

French officials revealed that Cheurfi was detained in Meaux on February 23 this year, after it emerged he was trying to buy weapons ‘to kill police’.

He used the alias ‘Abu Yousuf the Belgian’ and reportedly made threats to murder officers using the social media app Telegram, an instant messaging service. The fanatic was set free due to lack of evidence on March 6.

Despite being put on a watch list and regarded as a threat to France, he was able to obtain a Kalashnikov, a pump action shotgun and several knives ahead of last night’s attack.

It’s understood that before his early release from prison last year, probation officers noted that Cheurfi had been radicalised while serving his sentence.

He had been jailed for 20 years in 2005 for trying to kill two policemen. He opened fire five times with a .38 revolver following a car chase in 2001, leaving the officers and a third victim wounded. All three survived the attack in Roissy-en-Brie, in the Seine-et-Marne department of northern France.

French officials revealed that Cheurfi was detained in Meaux on February 23 this year, after it emerged he was trying to buy weapons ‘to kill police’.

Despite being put on a watch list and regarded as a threat to France, he was able to obtain a Kalashnikov, a pump action shotgun and several knives ahead of last night’s attack.

It’s understood that before his early release from prison last year, probation officers noted that Cheurfi had been radicalised while serving his sentence.