French Police at Toulouse Siege
Reuters
Police believe Toulouse killer’s brother was involved in the attack. Abdelkader Merah said he was "very proud" after the shooting.
By Maayana MiskinFirst Publish: 3/24/2012, 9:44 PM
ISRAEL NATIONAL NEWS
French police are increasingly inclined to believe that the terrorist who murdered a rabbi and three children at a Toulouse school was assisted by his brother. On Saturday, police spokesman Christophe Crepin told reporters that Abdelkader is believed to have “furnished [means] and acted as an accomplice” in Mohammed Merah’s attacks.
The brother, 29-year-old Abdelkader Merah, has told police that he is “very proud” of his brother for murdering his victims. “I regret nothing for him and approve of what he did,” Abdelkader told investigators.
Abdelkader has denied involvement in the attacks. However, it was revealed Saturday that his laptop was near the Jewish school Mohammed Merah attacked at the time ofthe shooting.
In addition, media reported Saturday that Abdelkader had been arrested several years ago in France on suspicion of sending young Muslims from Toulouse to Iraq, where they joined terrorist training camps and then fought western troops in the country.
Mohammed Merah confessed to the shooting at the Otzar Hatorah school and to the murders of three French soldiers before his death Thursday in a shootout with police. He had also filmed some of his attacks.
However, his clear guilt in the killings did not answer many questions, such as how he was able to purchase weapons and rent a car to use in the murders. Merah had no clear source of income.
French intelligence chief Ange Mancini told media that forensic teams are likely to find new leads when they look at Merah’s many guns. “The weapons, too, will talk,” he said.