Paris Champs-Elysees attacker s relatives arrested
Paris June 20 (IANS) Four family members of a man who was killed when his car exploded after he rammed it into a French police van on the Champs-Elysees here have been arrested judiciary sources said on Tuesday.
The suspect s former wife brother and sister-in-law and his father were arrested on Monday night during a search at the man s residence in Le Plessis-Pate on the southern outskirts of Paris the sources told Efe news.
The suspect who died in the incident was a French national who had exhibited signs of Islamic extremism though security services had not found sufficient evidence to justify his arrest.
The incident took place at 4 p.m. (local time) on Monday when the assailant drove his car into a police van that was travelling in the heart of the French capital.
The car exploded and the suspect was then pulled out of it.
Various weapons including gas cylinders a Kalashnikov assault rifle and knives were found in the vehicle.
On April 20 a police officer was killed on the Champs-Elysees in a shooting carried out by a man who had sworn loyalty to the Islamic State terror organisation.
France remains under a state of emergency following several recent terror attacks.
--IANS
ksk/vt
