2 detained for possible weapon link in Paris airport attack

PARIS: Two people have been detained on suspicion of involvement in providing a weapon to a Frenchman who was shot to death after attacking soldiers guarding Paris’ Orly airport.

The Paris prosecutor’s office says the two suspects remained in custody on Tuesday after being detained on Monday, and face possible preliminary charges of association with a terrorist enterprise. Their identities were not released. Authorities say attacker Ziyed Ben Belgacem shot and wounded a police officer with a revolver loaded with birdshot on Saturday, then attacked soldiers at Orly while brandishing a revolver and yelling that he wanted to kill and die for Allah. Other soldiers shot Belgacem to death.

While no one else was hurt, the incident further rattled France, under a state of emergency after a string of attacks.

In an interview with French radio Europe 1, a man identified as the suspect’s father said Belgacem was not a practising Muslim and drank alcohol. He said: “My son was never a terrorist. He never attended prayer. He drank. But under the effects of alcohol and cannabis, this is where one ends up.” Europe 1 did not give the name of the father, who was released from police custody over the weekend. Belgacem called his father and brother early minutes after he fired at a police traffic patrol, injuring one officer in the face, to say he had made a stupid mistake, Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said.