Nice attack: Brahim Issaoui "obviously came" to France "to kill", according to Darmanin

The Minister of the Interior, Gerald Darmanin, estimated that Brahim Issaoui, the alleged perpetrator of the fatal knife attack Thursday in the basilica of Nice, had "obviously" come to France "to kill", in an interview with

newspaper

published Sunday.

The alleged perpetrator "had only been present on the national territory for a few hours"

The 21-year-old Tunisian, seriously injured during his arrest, "had only been present on the national territory for a few hours. He obviously came there to kill. How else to explain why he armed himself with several knives barely arrived. ", says the minister.

"Of course, it is up to the anti-terrorism prosecutor to define when his murderous project was constructed. But he obviously did not come to obtain papers," he added.

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Spotted by CCTV cameras

According to a source close to the investigation, Brahim Issaoui arrived in Nice on Tuesday and was spotted by CCTV cameras near the basilica the day before the incident.

With a criminal record of common law - violence and drugs - he left the city of Sfax, in central Tunisia, in mid-September, where he lived with his family.

Arrived illegally in Europe by the Italian island of Lampedusa on September 20, he would have landed on the continent, in Bari, in southern Italy, on October 9.

Six people were in police custody on Sunday in the investigation into the attack in which three worshipers were killed.

Gérald Darmanin announces a strengthening of border controls

"We are going to strengthen our border controls," added Gérald Darmanin, recalling that since his arrival at the ministry, "we have sent hundreds of additional police officers to the border with Italy".

"But I do not want, as the extreme right invites, to see in every foreigner a terrorist. We must not take the easy way," he added.