By the Associated Press
A French judicial official says the alleged gunman who shot and killed five people in a Christmas market attack this month in Strasbourg had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group.
Residents react during a gathering being held in a central square of the eastern French city of Strasbourg, Sunday Dec.16, 2018 to pay homage to the victims of a gunman who killed four people and wounded a dozen more. The gathering was held in Kleber Square by a Christmas market and near where the gunman opened fire last Tuesday evening. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)
The judicial official, who is not authorized to speak publicly about the investigation, said investigators have found a video stored on a USB key in which Cherif Chekatt had claimed allegiance to the extremist group. The video was at Chekatt’s home.
Chekatt, 29, died in a shootout with police two days after his Dec. 11 attack at Strasbourg’s popular Christmas market.
Shortly after his death, the Islamic State group’s Amaq news agency claimed he was a “soldier” of the group. French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner had rejected the claim as “totally opportunistic.”
Residents react during a gathering being held in a central square of the eastern French city of Strasbourg, Sunday Dec.16, 2018 to pay homage to the victims of a gunman who killed four people and wounded a dozen more. The gathering was held in Kleber Square by a Christmas market and near where the gunman opened fire last Tuesday evening. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)
The judicial official, who is not authorized to speak publicly about the investigation, said investigators have found a video stored on a USB key in which Cherif Chekatt had claimed allegiance to the extremist group. The video was at Chekatt’s home.
Chekatt, 29, died in a shootout with police two days after his Dec. 11 attack at Strasbourg’s popular Christmas market.
Shortly after his death, the Islamic State group’s Amaq news agency claimed he was a “soldier” of the group. French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner had rejected the claim as “totally opportunistic.”