March 21st, 2012
02:10 AM ET

French police in standoff with suspect in Toulouse shootings

Dozens of French police officers surrounded a house near Toulouse early Wednesday morning, trying to coax the suspect in a series of deadly shootings - including one at a Jewish school - to give himself up.

Soon after special operations police mounted their raid at 3 a.m. (10 p.m. ET Tuesday), shots rang out from inside, wounding two officers, CNN affiliate BFM TV.

As the standoff entered its third hour, the 24-year-old suspect showed no signs of surrendering. Police tried to get the suspect's mother to talk to him, but she refused saying she had very little contact with him, the French interior minister told reporters.

The suspect's brother was inside the house in the Croix-Daurade district of Toulouse. He was arrested, officials said.

'High level of anti-Semitism' in France

According to Interior Minister Claude Gueant, the suspect is a French national of Algerian origin who spent considerable time in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Officials said the man belonged to the jihadist group, Forsane Alizza, or Knights of Glory. The French government banned the group in January for trying to recruit people to fight in Afghanistan.

Officials did not say whether the man was motivated by the presence of French troops in Afghanistan. France has about 4,000 troops supporting the NATO mission there. The government has said it will pull them out by 2013.

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Filed under: France • World
soundoff (9 Responses)
  1. Savior

    A jihadist? Go figure.

    March 21, 2012 at 3:31 am | Report abuse |
  2. banasy©

    What this man did was reprehensible, no matter what group he belonged to.
    24 years old.
    So much hatred, already.
    So bloody sad....people really suck, sometimes.

    March 21, 2012 at 7:34 am | Report abuse |
  3. BOMBO ©

    I haven't seen video yet. Do the French Gendarmes still wear those cool hats? I don't suppose they still all have those narrow mustaches either.

    Oh, and I hope they get him out soon without further incident.

    March 21, 2012 at 11:13 am | Report abuse |
    • banasy©

      Haw, haw, haw.
      I sneer in your general direction.

      March 21, 2012 at 2:53 pm | Report abuse |
  4. saywhat

    A terrible crime deserving swift punishment. Hope the lawyers don't get away with something like in the Norwegian mass murder trial.

    March 21, 2012 at 3:26 pm | Report abuse |
  5. saywhat

    The world today is strife with violence, hate & intolerance spawning saddening events.
    This civilized world gloating on high-tech gadgets, toys, weapons and 'advancement' is reminiscent of the dark days of yore. Wars, oppression, blood shed, human psyche gone awry.
    Some achievement – Humanity

    March 21, 2012 at 3:34 pm | Report abuse |
  6. saywhat

    Good afternoon @ banasy.
    have to go away . Have a nice one.

    March 21, 2012 at 3:35 pm | Report abuse |
  7. james ainoris

    So so sad.... this happened in Israel so many times... world press didnt seem to be so interested. Maybe they can take many of these young men from north africa and put them in frances military which would be manditory and paid... this way they could give fustrated young men a purpose and a job... they are not accepted very well in white christian europe... look at malmo sweden.. maybe some of the very wealthy saudi arabians could take in some people and give them a job... like the many arab refugees in Judaihah an Sammaria (gaza and west bank) At one time the Moors from north africa were the most advanced and tolerant people... they brought advanced into Cordova Spain and lived at peace with jews .... see: Saladin and Rambam. Saladin put us back in Israel after he defeated Richard the Lionhearted...who s evil crusaders murdered every Moslem and jew in Jerusalem in 1099... this conflict goes way back and we always get caught in the middle... may Mosiach arrive quickly to stop this... man cannot..

    March 21, 2012 at 5:48 pm | Report abuse |
  8. saywhat

    There are decades old issues like Israel/Palestine conflict that need honest intent & attention from the International community. They lie at the core of this perpetual unrest , resentment, frustration and anger in the M.East which is echoed in tragic incidents like these.
    Jews from around the world and in Israel & US, fed up of this cycle of violence, have been clamoring for a just and peaceful resolution of this issue. Problem is that we pretend not to hear them.
    God fearing, courageous, peace loving Jews in US have been striving against ruthless lobbies and interests to get Americans to focus on the issue in its true perspective. But our mainstream media constantly ignores them.

    March 21, 2012 at 8:11 pm | Report abuse |
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