A search has been launched for an ‘extremely dangerous’ and ‘Islamophobic’ knifeman after a young Muslim man was stabbed to death at a mosque in France.
The suspect, identified as Oliver H, 21, was still at large today after allegedly attacking his victim ‘at least 60 times’ on Friday morning.
He entered the main Islamic place of worship in La Grand-Combe, a southern village close to Alès, and killed the man, named locally as Aboubakar, aged 24.
Aboubakar, a migrant originally from Mali, was alone in the mosque, after arriving early for Friday prayers and to clean the building.
Oliver H, a non-Muslim Frenchman, allegedly pretended to pray with him, before launching the savage attack, according to enquiry sources who had seen video footage shared of the atrocity.
While filming Aboubakar dying, Oliver H shouted out multiple hateful slogans against Allah and the Muslim faith, they said.
French Prime Minister François Bayrou led a chorus of nationwide outrage.
He posted on X, formerly Twitter: ‘A worshipper was murdered yesterday, near Alès at the Grande-Combe mosque.
A hunted killer entered a mosque in La Grand-Combe, a southern village close to Alès in France, and killed a Muslim man (pictured) who has been named as Aboubakar, aged 24
French police are seen blocking access to a road at La Grand-Combe in southern France
Investigations are continuing after a worshipper was stabbed to death at a mosque
‘The shame of Islamophobia was displayed on video. We stand with the victim’s loved ones and with the shocked believers.
‘State resources are being mobilised to ensure the murderer is apprehended and punished.’
Abdelkrim Grini, the regional prosecutor, told how Oliver H had posted a video of the killing online before deleting it.
Mr Grini said: ‘The individual is being actively sought. This is a matter that is being taken very seriously.
‘All possibilities were being considered, including that of an act with an Islamophobic dimension.’
Describing Oliver H as ‘extremely dangerous’, Mr Grini confirmed that France’s anti-terror prosecutors’ office was considering taking take over the murder probe.
The crime was reportedly caught by CCTV cameras inside the mosque, along with recordings of Islamophobic insults.
The footage also appeared to show Oliver H saying: ‘I’m going to be arrested – that’s for sure.’
The wanted knifeman entered the main Islamic place of worship in La Grand-Combe, a southern village close to Alès, and killed the man, named locally as Aboubakar, aged 24
France’s anti-terror prosecutors’ office was considering taking take over the murder probe
Police are pictured near the scene of the crime in La Grand-Combe, a village close to Alès
The alleged killer is an unemployed French national who was born in Lyon in 2004.
He is non-Muslim and from a Bosnian Serb background, said another enquiry source.
Oliver H lived with his family in the Gard department and had no prior criminal record.
France’s Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau described the murder as ‘appalling’ and also expressed his ‘support for the victim’s family and solidarity with the Muslim community affected by this barbaric violence in their place of worship on the day of prayer’.
