France School Stabbing: Here’s What We Know About the Arras Attack

Here is what we know so far about a knife attack that killed one teacher and left another wounded at a high school in northern French town of Arras on Friday. The suspected assailant and one of his brothers have been arrested.

Who is the suspect?

The suspected attacker was known to law enforcement agencies and was on a state ‘Fiche S’ watchlist of people known as a potential security risk. It is not on its own a cause for arrest.

The list contains thousands of names and only a small minority are under surveillance. They can include gangsters, prison escapees as well as those with suspected Islamist sympathies or allegiances.

BFM TV reported that the suspect had been placed under increased monitoring.

There was conflicting information over whether he was a Russian-born Chechen or Russian-born Ingush.

He was a former student at the Lycee Gambetta high school where the attack occurred. A teacher described his as a calm, reasonable student whilst he was at the school.

One of the suspect’s brothers was arrested nearby.

A security source said another brother of the alleged assailant was serving time in prison for links to Islamist militant networks and glorification of terrorist acts.

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