(Paris) French anti-terrorism investigators seek to identify the authors of a series of attacks on Tuesday, sometimes accompanied by mysterious inscriptions but without claim, targeting several prisons targeted since Sunday by vehicle fires and even “Kalashnikov” fire in Toulon (South-East).
Sylvain PEUCHMAURD Agency France-Presse
According to the first elements of the investigation, all hypotheses are envisaged, a source close to the file told AFP.
In total, 21 vehicles have been tagged and/or burnt down since Sunday evening, according to a police source.
In Marseille and Valence, two cities in southeast France, the acronym “DDPF” was found for “rights of French prisoners”, it was said from the same source.
“I do not know what is hidden behind this slogan”, “and besides I don’t care,” said French Minister of Justice Gérald Darmanin from Toulon-La Farlède prison, whose door was riddled with impacts from Kalashnikov.
PHOTO MIGUEL MEDINA, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
In Toulon, a large orange -red acronym comprising the mysterious “DDFM” letters was registered on the gray door by which the prison vranges enter and released, an AFP journalist noted.
Stressing that “there was no claim”, he said he hoped that the authors of these acts “will be confused and convinced extremely heavily”, slipping in passing asking for his counterpart Bruno Retailleau to “mobilize all means” to protect the prison services.
The latter underlined on Tuesday morning that he had asked for a “without delay” strengthening of “the protection of agents and establishments” penitentiary.
« 15 impacts »
Referring to his policy of prison hardening against the most dangerous detainees, Mr. Darmanin considered that there were “obviously acts of intimidation against the agents, therefore against the Republic”. “We will not give in,” he said.
Following the facts aimed at different prisons and the National School of Prison Administration (ENAP) between Sunday and Tuesday, the National Anti -terrorist Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) seized the investigation, open for association of criminal terrorist criminals.
It is also so for “attempted assassination in relation to a terrorist enterprise committed on a person depositary of the public authority” for automatic weapon fire in Toulon, and for damage to a band organized in relation to a terrorist enterprise for the other fires.
In a press release, the PNAT explains having seized because of the “nature of these facts, the targets chosen and the concerted nature of an action committed on multiple points of the territory, as well as the objective which they pursue to seriously disturb public order by intimidation as claimed on social networks by a group called” DDPF “.
In an “unprecedented context”, the PNAT intends to ensure “a national coordination of investigations”.
Around 0.40 am on Monday to Tuesday, the door of the Toulon-La Farlède penitentiary center was targeted by “several individuals” arrived aboard a vehicle, according to the Toulon prosecutor.
Fifteen impacts were noted after these Kalashnikov shots, according to a source close to the file.
PHOTO MIGUEL MEDINA, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Around 0.40 am on Monday to Tuesday, the door of the Toulon-La Farlède penitentiary center was targeted by “several individuals” arrived aboard a vehicle, according to the Toulon prosecutor.
In Toulon, a large orange -red acronym comprising the mysterious “DDFM” letters was registered on the gray door by which the prison vranges enter and released, an AFP journalist noted.
On the spot, the gray door through which the prison vans pass, in addition to the ball impacts, the inscription “DDFM” in orange red, noted an AFP journalist.
Hydrocarbon can
Eight vehicles were also burnt down in a car concession next to Nîmes prison (south) on the night of Sunday to Monday, according to the local prosecutor’s office.
On the parking lot of the Villepinte prison, near Paris, three vehicles, including two belonging to prison agents who were burned on Monday evening, according to a police source. A five -liter hydrocarbon can have been found.
In the Aix-Luynes prison center (southeast), a door was burned down, according to a source close to the file.
During the night of Sunday to Monday, fires also hit the Penitentiary Center in Réau, near Paris, and the parking of the ENAP in Agen (southwest), according to several sources close to the file.
Seven vehicles were “destroyed or degraded due to fire” on ENAP parking, according to the local prosecutor’s office. The prosecutor judged on Monday that he was “too early to generate specific tracks”.
According to a police source, the penitentiary establishments in Nanterre, near Paris, and Valencia were also affected by vehicle fires, some of which had previously been tagged.
