Murder of Tunisian man sparks France's first far-right terrorism investigation

Published on 04/06/2025 - 17:52 GMT+2

Shock complete nan execution of a Tunisian hairdresser successful a colony adjacent nan French Riviera past play continues to resound passim nan Western European country, arsenic authorities condemn nan crime arsenic fuelled by hatred.

After nan 46-year-old Hichem Miraoui was changeable dormant adjacent his location successful Puget-sur-Argens successful confederate France connected Saturday, 1 of his neighbours has claimed work for nan attack, successful which a man of Turkish inheritance was besides injured.

In videos posted connected Facebook soon earlier his arrest, nan suspect, identified arsenic Christophe B, 53, utilized racist connection and appeared to incite French citizens to behaviour further acts of unit against Muslims.

French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said connected Tuesday that nan execution was “clearly a racist crime”, “probably besides anti-Muslim” and “perhaps besides a violent crime”.

The nationalist anti-terrorism prosecutor's agency (PNAT), which opened successful 2019, launched a probe into nan sidesplitting this week, nan first clip it has done truthful for a execution that is thought to person been inspired by far-right ideology.

Since Miraoui’s murder, Muslim communities crossed France person spoken of their sadness and fear.

In a connection released connected Tuesday, nan Rhône Council of Mosques said nan crime was suggestive of nan “troubling and progressively dispute ambiance toward citizens of Muslim religion successful France”.

Meanwhile, Hafiz Chems-Eddine, Rector of nan Grand Mosque of Paris, called for “urgent, nationalist consciousness of nan dangers of xenophobic, racist, and Islamphobic rhetoric”.

“It is clip to mobility nan promoters of this hatred, who, successful nan governmental and media spheres, run pinch impunity and lead to highly superior incidents,” he said.

Islamic leaders besides made a relationship betwixt Miraoui’s execution and nan fatal stabbing of nan 22-year-old Malian Aboubakar Cissé successful a mosque successful confederate France connected 25 April.

In a video filmed while Cissé was dying, his French attacker criticised Islam.