Comments on reads 3/21

France shootings: Police raid on suspect in Toulouse

Police hunting a gunman suspected of killing seven people in southern France have surrounded a house in Toulouse.

The 24-year-old Frenchman from Toulouse has said he belongs to al-Qaeda, Interior Minister Claude Gueant said. Police are now negotiating with the man, who said he acted in "revenge for Palestinian children" and French military operations abroad.

Two police officers were injured in exchanges of fire during the raid and the suspect's brother is under arrest. The man's mother, who is Algerian, has been brought to the scene, but Mr Gueant said she had refused to become involved as "she had little influence on him".

The minister said the suspect had made several visits to Afghanistan and Pakistan. He claims to be a mujahideen and to belong to al-Qaeda," Mr Gueant said. "He wanted revenge for the Palestinian children and he also wanted to take revenge on the French army because of its foreign interventions."

FP: Bingo. Remember how quick was the police to suspect a “right-wing” terrorist? How could that have been the case when:

Police surround suspect in Toulouse school shooting

He is thought to be a 24-year-old man who had previously travelled to the lawless border area between Pakistan and Afghanistan which is known to house al-Qaeda safehouses, one of the officials told AFP.

"He was in the DCRI's sights, as were others, after the first two attacks," an official said, referring to France's domestic intelligence service, adding: "Then the criminal investigation police brought in crucial evidence."

But that provided a pretext to extend security to Muslim locations too. For “balance”.

 

Yaakov Ahimeir: Anti-Semitism is mental illness

Surveys show the level of anti-Semitism in France had reached its lowest point in 10 years prior to the Toulouse attack.

FP: That tells you what you need to know about the accuracy and reliability of those surveys. I guess the French Jews who swamped Israel’s real-estate market did not believe them either. Here’s probably an underestimate: ADL: 24% of French harbor anti-Semitic attitudes

 

Killer chased little girl, grabbed her hair, and shot her in the head

Israel Hayom’s special correspondent to Toulouse reports from the city after Monday’s shooting attack at a Jewish school that left four dead • Jews from across France descend on Toulouse to support the Jewish community.

FP: The Fogel murders, Ilan Halimi, now this and Beinart is concerned about Israel’s lack of morality!

 

EU foreign policy chief compares French victims to children in Gaza

Deputy PM Eli Yishai says Catherine Ashton’s comments weaken EU’s ability to be fair, unbiased mediator between Israel and Palestinians • Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman calls comments “inappropriate” and says he hopes she retracts them.

FP: Looks like she’s more in tune with the murderer than the victims:

3 French police injured in Toulouse shootout

French interior minister: 24-year-old suspect "wanted revenge for Palestinian children," avenge French overseas interventions.

But that’s not a surprise for Europe.