Took selfie with boss’ cut-off head
THE FRENCHMAN suspected of decapitating his boss snapped a sickening selfie with the severed head — and shared the perverse pic with a friend, officials said Saturday.
Yassin Salhi, 35, allegedly sent the gruesome photo via WhatsApp to a Canadian cell phone number, according to officials. French investigators were hunting for the recipient of the selfie, but were unable to confirm media reports that it was a person now in Syria.
Salhi was arrested Friday after killing his boss, Herve Cornara, and unsuccessfully trying to set off an explosion at the U.S.-owned Air Products factory near Lyon by plowing a truck into an area containing flammable liquids. The suspect instead caused only a small explosion and was attempting to ignite bottles of acetone when he was overpowered by firefighters, officials said.
Before his capture, Salhi allegedly strangled and beheaded his boss, took the perverse photo, covered Cornara’s head in Arabic writing and attached it to the gates of the factory along with homemade ISIS flags, officials said.
The disturbing transmission added a stomach-churning twist to an investigation that has not turned up any solid links to radical or foreign groups.
The probe has revived concerns about terrorism in France less than six months after deadly attacks rocked the Paris area when gunmen attacked the satirical Charlie Hebdo newspaper and a kosher market in January. The terror attacks, led by Islamic extremists, left 17 people dead.
Salhi, who has a history of radical ties, remained in police custody Saturday in Lyon along with his sister and wife.