French Suspect in Jewish School Shooting Leaps to Death After Police Shootout
- Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:20am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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TOULOUSE, France (AP) — An Islamic extremist who boasted of killing seven people in an attempt to “bring France to its knees” died Thursday after jumping from his window, arms in hand, in a shootout with police, a French minister said.
Mohammed Merah (AP)
Interior Minister Claude Gueant said the suspect, Mohamed Merah, who claims links to al-Qaida, was found holed up in the bathroom after police entered his apartment Thursday morning to end a 32-hour standoff. Police and the suspect exchanged gunfire before Merah died, with two police wounded in the firefight.
Authorities said Merah, a French citizen of Algerian descent, espoused a radical form of Islam and had been to Afghanistan and the Pakistani militant stronghold of Waziristan, where he claimed to have received training from al-Qaida.
Police said, in hours of negotiations Wednesday when the standoff first began, Merah admitted to being proud of killing a rabbi, three Jewish children and three French paratroopers in three separate motorcycle shooting attacks. They are believed to be the first killings inspired by Islamic radical motives in France in more than a decade.
Gueant earlier had said police wanted to capture Merah alive.
Elite police squads set off sporadic blasts throughout the night and into the morning – some blew off the apartment’s shutters – in what officials described as a tactic aimed to pressure Merah to give up.
A new set of detonations, known as flash bangs, resounded at 10:30 a.m. (0930 GMT), beginning the end to the standoff.
Holed up alone in an otherwise evacuated apartment building, Merah clung to his few remaining assets, like a small arsenal and authorities’ hopes of taking him alive. On Wednesday, he appeared to toy with police negotiators – first saying he would surrender in the afternoon, then under the cover of darkness, then reneging on those pledges altogether, officials said.
“We still want him alive so he can be tried and so the families can mourn properly,” Foreign Minister Alain Juppe told Europe 1 radio before the firefight Thursday.
Police said Merah told negotiators he killed a rabbi and three young children at a Jewish school on Monday and three French paratroopers before that avenge the deaths of Palestinian children and to protest the French army’s involvement in Afghanistan, as well as a government ban last year on face-covering Islamic veils.
French authorities – like others across Europe – have long been concerned about “lone-wolf” attacks by young, Internet-savvy militants who find radical beliefs online, since they are harder to find and track.
“Lone wolves are formidable adversaries,” Gueant said.
He defended France’s efforts to fight terrorism over the past decade, saying 700 people have been detained and about 60 “Islamists with terrorist tendencies” are currently in French prisons.
Even before Merah’s death, the lawyer who had defended him for years on a series of criminal charges predicted a dramatic and somber end to the standoff.
“He wants to show he is exceptional, omnipotent, and this approach can only end up as something tragic,” Christian Etelin said on news channel i-Tele on Thursday.
He said Merah had tried to join the military but was rejected. He said Merah was also disillusioned after a string of convictions for petty crimes and after efforts to reduce his sentences through work programs failed.
“He felt rejected by the periods of detention he was handed out, and for his wish to defend France in the army. Now, he is in a process of hate,” Etelin said.
Police said they had to capture Merah to prevent more deaths.
“He has no regrets, except not having more time to kill more people, and he boasts that he has brought France to its knees,” prosecutor Francois Molins told a news conference Wednesday.
He said the suspect had plans to kill another soldier – prompting the police raid at around 3 a.m. Wednesday. After it erupted into a firefight, wounding two police, a standoff ensued, with on-and-off negotiations with the suspect that lasted through the night.
—
Jamey Keaten in Paris contributed to this report.
UPDATE: The Associated Press is now reporting Merah died after being shot in the head by police as he jumped out of his apartment after a fierce gunfight with police.
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Comments (68)
Tsam
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 11:24amheadline should read “ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALIST suspect”, not “FRENCH suspect”.
C’mon, truth has no agenda, n’est-ce pas?
Report Post »mountainmover101
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 11:23amI wish he had jumped out the window before he killed all those people. These people are in love with death and dying. I honestly don’t know what the debate is about anymore. I mean it is a foregone conclusion as to how this will end.
Report Post »Tsam
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 11:23amwhy does this headline read “FRENCH suspect” when it should read “ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALIST suspect”???
c’mon, truth has no agenda, n’est-ce pas?
Report Post »youdidthis
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 10:52amthe us released him…
Report Post »Mark0331
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 10:49amThis terrorist looks like Barry O’s little brother…
Report Post »ColoradoMaverick
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 10:36amGod, I hope it was painful!!
Report Post »jkjk
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 10:41amGood, I hope allah stupid gives him dirty hookers as a reward. One less idiot muslim.
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 10:32amI hope all his virgins are gun toting nuns! AMEN.
Report Post »barber2
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 10:20amThis guy was a fine example of what the al Qaeda militants are looking for : no real inner compass, angry, confused, and feeling ” victimized.” Sounds just like those who are recruited to be Occupy soldiers. The political and religious organizers just exploit these personality problems for their pursuit of power.
Report Post »Obama Hang-over
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:54amWell I am glad to see we don’t have to wait for justice to be served! This piece of excrement now faces the true judge of man and I am sure his soul will remain in torment for eternity.
Report Post »izukiddin
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:47amA religion of hatred and domination. This is Islam!
Report Post »swordpoint9
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:45amGood Riddance Terrorist . You now will find out your god lives in Hell !
Report Post »BeingThere
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:32amIt’s times like this that I hope that Hell exists! Any virgins involved I’m sure will be sheep … disappointed sheep! LOL
Report Post »zoro51
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:30ammurdering muslums will rot in HELL
Report Post »Seede
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:07amWhere is good ole Arab Rose Ellen on this one? Arab Rose still insists that the Muslims only kill because the Jews invaded their home land. Wake up folks. It isn’t just the red diaper doper babies we must watch out for. The entire Barry Soetoro organization must be watched. They are all hand in hand.
Report Post »rose-ellen
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:20amthe cold blooded execution of people especiallychildren was horrific and inexcusable[like the american massacre of afghans].That being said israel has been given a green light to murder palestinians including children because of their resistence to illigal occupation and seizing of land in the 67 war. Had israel returned to its legal pre 67original borders this horrific crime would not have happened.so too the occupation of afghanistan where countless children are murdered with impunity by nato.two wrongs don’t make a right but this too is blowback.
Report Post »Obama Hang-over
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:59amRose-Ellen, Isreal was ATTACKED in 1967 and drove her attackers back. The land was won in battle and it’s called “The Spoils of War”. Had the Arabs not attacked Isreal, yoou wouldn’t have an argument, however weak it is. Isreal’s mistake was allowing Arabs to stay there.
Report Post »dutchy
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 11:37am@Rose Israel doesn’t want to harm any innocent men, women or children! Only when attacked by these terrorists do they have to respond and try to destroy these missile launch sites, as well as guilty individuals who blow themselves up among innocent bystanders. These missile sites are put in schools and in densely populated communities making the humans living there “human shields”, they have no regard for life to do that to their own people! We can only pray that maybe one day they will have had enough bloodshed and change their ways and want true peace with Israel and then end their terrorism toward Israel. All Israel wants is to live in peace and that everyone respects each other and are allowed to practice their own religion as they wish. God bless Israel!
Report Post »dutchy
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 12:06pmbtw, this cowardly attack by Mohamed Merah just goes to show you that jews everywhere are hated by muslims, and not because of a piece of land you call “illegal occupation”! They are brainwashed to hate jews, and christians and no matter where they live, they are targets. May the lord God bless and keep his people safe everywhere!
Report Post »getourcountryback
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 1:09pmRose Ellen: Blah, blah, blah, murderers, blah, blah, blah, massacre, blah, blah, blah, Palestine victim, blah, blah, blah, blowback, blah, blah, blah, ad nausea.
Report Post »ikesmom
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 1:21pmRose ellen don’t let the facts get in the way of your lies!!!! For anyone who wants to know the truth, check out the link below.
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Danny+Ayalon+video's&mid=7E9811FC6C2B9B1130747E9811FC6C2B9B113074&view=detail&FORM=VIRE8
Report Post »paperpushermj
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 12:13amGive it a rest Rose we all know Islam will not tolerate a non-mulim country anywhere in their happy lands.
Report Post »Proof: If Israel was predominately Muslim, you would have no bone to pick at would you Rose.
adeleeeee
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 5:20amOh PLZ~ @Rose-Ellen those Palestinian are ARABS!!!!!!! Those refugees should be took care by those peace loving MUSLIM countries who surround ISRAEL. Oh to those TRUE Poor Poor Palestinians who would rather obtain Israeli citizenship have been captivated by those fake Palestinian terrorist as human shield! Those true refugees are manipulated by the UN, the media, and YOU, Rose-Ellen! Because of YOU the truth is been distorted. The claims you have is not helping them but make those true poor Palestinians live in HELL literately!
Report Post »What YOU had said is actually what YOU are! YOU are the LIAR and TERRORIST and MURDER of Palestinian children! Prepare your fate in eternity if you do not repent. I tell YOU HELL is as real as YOURSELF and TERRORIST.
RougeFastFingers
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:04amNo need to capture him, now he won’t be hurting anyone else in the name of the moon god Allah.
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:04amOne down 200,000 to go. Good riddance to this animal. Since he killed himself, he does not pass GO, he does not collect 72 virgins. Satan has just received a new member.
Report Post »00gabooga
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:43amIt took them so long to get him I was beginning to think he was German!
Report Post »Inlandmar2
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:41amReal courageous! Shoot unarmed soldiers, a Rabbi and children. Then when it comes to a real showdown, this Pig Slime takes the easy way out. Coming soon to a hometown near you. Wake up world! These people are dangerous.
Report Post »JACKTHETOAD
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:35amLet’s all hope he starts a trend among muslims. Allah Fubar!
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:59amI‘m sure it’s just coincidental, that he was Muslim. Bush and Obama have assured us that Islam is a religion of peace.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:57am.
Report Post »I Hope his Virgins look like Debbie Wasserman-Schultz……….
Gonzo
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:14amYou really hate that guy , don’t you Monkey? LOL
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:22amGee monkey…That was vicious…I just wanted to pour bacon grease on him. You my friend are sick!
Report Post »JACKTHETOAD
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:33amMy body temperature just went down by ten degrees.
Report Post »00gabooga
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:44amSatan vetoed that idea. Even HE has a heart!
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:49am.
Report Post »Ya’ll I just want him to be happy in the afterlife………
GrayPanther
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 10:05amImagine 74 Jewish virgins? At least he would be safe from pork.
Report Post »NC
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:47amEarly news reports said he was planning to attack again Wednesday morning before he was found by the police. I wonder how they knew this and if it was true.
Did a confidential informant tell the police about Merah? If the CI knew then why wasn’t a report made after the paratroopers were killed?
There’s more to the story. Hopefully TheBlaze will update us.
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:38amPour some bacon grease on him quick!!!!
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:37amGood
Report Post »ThePostman
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:35amAnother Palestinian terrorist dead and gone. Praise Allah!
Report Post »