Paris (AFP)
On the eve of a tribute to the victims, Christophe Castaner promised Monday to "tighten the cracks" against Islamist radicalization within the police after the killing of the police headquarters, described as "scandal of State "by a party of the opposition.
The interior minister has again tried to respond to the earthquake caused by the murderous attack perpetrated by Mickael Harpon, the 45-year-old prefecture employee who stabbed four officials to death Thursday before being shot dead.
Four days after this unprecedented attack in the heart of the police apparatus, many voices denounce the negligence of the authorities and seek to understand how Mickaël Harpon was able to go under radar while he had given signs of radicalization to the police. within the PP Intelligence Directorate (DRPP) where he was employed.
Hardly questioned, Christophe Castaner acknowledged Monday on France Inter a "state dysfunction" but denied the accusation of "scandal of state", carried by those who, on the right and the extreme right, claim his resignation screaming.
According to the minister, Mr. Harpon, who has been converting to Islam for about ten years and frequenting members of the "Salafist" movement, justified in July 2015 the attack against Charlie Hebdo within the DRPP itself. a formal report is sent to the police hierarchy.
According to an internal report revealed Sunday by France Inter, this administrative agent authorized secret defense reportedly told two colleagues "It's well done" about the attack in January 2015 against the satirical weekly.
"There was no warning at the right level, at the right time," the minister said, adding that "the warning signals should have been sufficient to trigger an in-depth investigation."
Several of Harpon's colleagues said they had "noted in the past signs of radicalization" and "alerted their superiors or consulted with colleagues who are experts on these issues," according to the internal report.
In an attempt to extinguish the controversy, Mr Castaner called for any alerts related to radicalization to be "automatically reported", without further details. Two administrative investigations entrusted to the Inspectorate-General of Intelligence were opened by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe.
- Hearing Tuesday -
Not sure that this is enough to silence the criticism that is falling on the executive and more particularly against the Minister of the Interior, accused of having said too quickly Thursday that the attacker had "never presented any behavioral difficulties ".
From RN to LR via LFI, several officials accused Mr. Castaner of having "deliberately lied" and called for his resignation and a parliamentary commission of inquiry.
The next few days are still under high tension for the minister. On Tuesday, he is to be heard in camera by the parliamentary intelligence delegation before he questions the government.
Thursday, it is the commission of the laws of the Senate which will audition it.
On the front of the investigation led by the anti-terrorist services, the wife of Mickaël Harpon was released Sunday evening after three days in custody, without being pursued at this stage.
The investigators were looking for possible incriminating elements in this mother of two who was worried about "the unusual and agitated behavior" of her husband the day before the attack and had exchanged with him 33 SMS the morning of the events.
In addition to the search for possible accomplices in radical circles, investigators are trying to clarify the nature of the information to which the attacker could have access to the prefecture, where he worked since 2003 as a computer scientist.
Secretary of State for the Interior Laurent Nuñez dismissed "at this stage" the hypothesis that he was part of a jihadist cell.
Shaken by this attack from the inside, the police headquarters will pay a last tribute to four victims - three policemen and a human resources official - Tuesday morning at a ceremony attended by Emmanuel Macron.
On the day of the attack, the president spoke of a "real tragedy" and observed a minute of silence "for those who have fallen, their families and their colleagues".
© 2019 AFP