French cops foil ‘Incel’ plot to carry out ‘mass killing’ during Olympic Flame parade through Bordeaux today – exactly ten years after Elliot Rodger massacre that left six dead in California
French police on Thursday foiled a plot to commit a ‘mass murder’ during the Olympic Flame Parade in Bordeaux.
A 26-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday in Eysines, Gironde, French publication CNEWS reported on suspicion of planning a mass murder today.
Concerns were first raised over a report by the intelligence platform Pharos, which discovered a message referring to a mass murder in the US in 2014.
On the suspect’s Facebook profile, investigators discovered a message referring to “Virgin Killer” Elliot Rodger, who was responsible for the 2014 Isla Vista, California, murders ten years ago today, with the comment: “We miss you Elliot’.
Members of the public watch a torchbearer holding the Olympic torch as part of the Olympic and Paralympic torch relay, ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, in Saint-Emilion, south-west France, on Thursday, where police foiled a plot to launch a mass attack
Mayor of Saint-Emilion Bernard Lauret holds the Olympic torch as part of the Olympic and Paralympic torch relay, ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, in Saint-Emilion, south-west France on Thursday
During a search of his home, police also seized a rubber bullet revolver, several mobile phones and a computer.
While in police custody, the arrested man talked about his plan to commit mass murder but made no connection with the Olympic flame.
The man added that he intended for the attack to end in his suicide.
The planned attack is said to have taken place exactly ten years after Rodger shot dead six people and injured fourteen others on Isla Vista, near the University of California, in 2014 before killing himself.
Before his rampage, he had posted a chilling video in which he warned of “retaliation” for being a virgin at 22.
France’s Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin praised the police officers, as well as “all officers of the Ministry of the Interior” for their efforts to stop the violent attack.
Pictured: Elliot Rodger killed six people before being killed in a shootout with police on May 23, 2014, in the community of Isla Vista near the University of California, Santa Barbara