Overview
- France’s counterterrorism prosecutor opened a case into terrorist criminal conspiracy and weapons offenses, seeking charges as both suspects remain in pre-trial detention.
- The brothers were stopped on March 10 near the Longuenesse prison after a drone report, where police found a semi-automatic firearm, hydrochloric acid, aluminum foil and an ISIS flag in their car.
- Investigators say the men, aged 22 and 20, are Italian–Moroccan nationals; the older is an engineering student and the younger is unemployed.
- While in custody, the suspects admitted planning an attack in France and aspiring to martyrdom, with digital forensics uncovering jihadist propaganda and a recent ISIS allegiance video as well as contacts with radicalized or convicted individuals.
- Encrypted exchanges to obtain handguns or assault rifles indicated an imminent act, though authorities have not disclosed a specific target or court date, and security around Jewish sites in France has been reinforced.