Overview
- Two Tunisian suspects arrested earlier remain in pre-trial detention, and four French nationals were questioned this week with two women released and two men kept in extended custody.
- One of the men still held is a 79-year-old former DST officer turned private detective, described by multiple sources as connected to the case, with the mayor’s lawyer denying he is known to Christian Estrosi.
- Phone analysis of a jailed suspect uncovered communications with a close collaborator of the mayor, a finding that helped shift the focus away from a foreign plot.
- The judicial probe covers alleged public provocation to hatred, aggravated violence against an elected official, unlawful access to data systems, and criminal association, and CRIF has joined as a civil party.
- Estrosi has filed as a civil party and alleges infiltration by rivals after naming Éric Ciotti and businessman Pierre‑Édouard Stérin, while Stérin denies any role and has filed a defamation complaint.