A terrorist attack in France

What is known and what is not known about the attack on the chemical factory

In France, six months after the attack on the editorial office of Charlie Hebdo, a new loud terrorist attack occurred. The Islamist killed a man, cut off his head, and then arranged an explosion at a chemical plant, as a result of which two people were injured. "Medusa" tells what is known and what is not known about the attack.

What is known

How the attack occurred. On the morning of June 26, Yasin Sali, who adheres to radical Islamic views, killed his boss in a transport company. Sali cut off his boss, wrote something in Arabic on it, wrapped it in a panel with Arabic inscriptions and hung a bundle on the fence of the Air Products plant. After that, Sali got behind the wheel of a truck, drove into the territory of the plant and crashed into gas cylinders, as a result of which an explosion occurred. Then the terrorist got out of the car and headed for the building, which was nearby (there were also gas cylinders there).

How the suspect was detained. The firefighters who arrived to the place of the explosion found a man who shouted Allah Akbar. They surrounded him and detained him before the police arrived. Apparently, the terrorist was not armed with firearms.

Who is the main suspect. Yasin Sali is 35 years old, he was born in the French commune Pontarle. In 2006, the authorities paid attention to him, since he visited the mosque in Lyon, where the Salafites gathered (representatives of the most strict direction in Islam). Nevertheless, in 2008 they stopped watching the man, because they considered that he was not a threat to France. Sali's wife told reporters that she and her husband and children are the most ordinary Muslim family who observes religious commandments. The neighbors of the alleged terrorist also did not notice anything unusual for him. According to his wife, at seven in the morning Sali went to work, but did not return by noon, as she expected.

What is unknown

How many attackers were. Near the plant a man was detained who could conduct an intelligence of the area. However, there are no details about him. Accordingly, it is not known whether he participated in the attack. In the case of the attack, the wife of Sali and his sister were also detained . The alleged terrorist is still refusing to testify.

What is written on the panel in which the head was wrapped. The Minister of Internal Affairs of France said that the inscriptions have not yet been translated.

Why this plant was chosen for the attack. Air Products is a large American corporation that is engaged in the industrial production of gases and chemicals. The media have assumptions that the French plant was chosen for the attack, since it belongs to the Americans, but no evidence of this version is given.