French terror suspect took selfie with beheaded victim

[Lite Beer]

French terror suspect took selfie with beheaded victim
PHILIPPE SOTTO, Associated Press
JAMEY KEATEN, Associated Press

FONTAINES-SUR-SAONE, France (AP) — The top suspect in the beheading of a businessman that French authorities are calling a terrorist attack took a "selfie" photo with the slain victim and sent the image via WhatsApp to a Canadian mobile phone number, officials said Saturday.

French investigators were working to determine the recipient's identity, but weren't able to immediately confirm media reports that it was an unspecified person now in Syria, where the radical Islamic State group has seized territory, the security officials said.

The revelation added a macabre twist to an investigation that has not turned up a solid link to radical or foreign groups, but has revived concerns about terrorism in France less than six months after deadly attacks in the Paris area.

Top suspect Yassine Salhi, a truck driver with a history of radical Islamic ties, as well as his sister and wife remained in police custody in the city of Lyon, a day after he allegedly crashed a truck into a U.S.-owned chemical warehouse and hung his employer's severed head on a factory gate, officials said.

One of the officials said the selfie was forwarded via WhatsApp, the globally popular instant messaging system owned by Facebook, to a phone number in Canada. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing.

Jean-Christophe de Le Rue, a spokesman for Canada's Public Safety Minister, confirmed that Canadian authorities are involved in the case.

"While I cannot comment on operational matters of national security, we are assisting the French authorities with their investigation," he said.

He declined to comment further on details of the investigation.

No group immediately claimed responsibility. The severed head appeared to mimic Islamic State's practice of beheading prisoners and displaying their heads for all to see, and came days after the militants urged attacks during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. French authorities say Salhi had links to radical Salafists in the past.

Paris prosecutor's office spokeswoman Agnes Thibault-Lecuivre said the leading suspect began speaking with investigators after first refusing to do so. She declined to provide details, but said investigators haven't found any foreign connection.

The site of the beheading wasn't yet known to investigators, and the victim had been strangled beforehand, she said.

A fourth person arrested Friday was released without being charged. Under French anti-terrorism laws, Salhi and the women can be held up to four days before either being released or handed preliminary charges and locked up.

President Francois Hollande's office said he will convene a meeting with top parliamentary leaders about the matter on Tuesday.

Separately on Saturday, hundreds of people turned out in the region to honor slain businessman Herve Cornara and denounce the violence. Dozens turned out for a minute of silence in Saint-Quentin-Fallavier, the town southeast of Lyon where Friday's attack took place at an Air Products chemicals warehouse.

Several hundred people also gathered outside a housing project in the town of Fontaines-sur-Saone to honor Cornara, 54, the manager of a transportation company that had employed Salhi since March. They recalled a kind, humble man who was active in the community of the Lyon suburb.

"He lived on the fifth floor, me on the fourth. He spoke with all the young people in the neighborhood. He didn't differentiate between (non-Muslim) French and Muslims," said Leila Bouri, a 24-year-old cafeteria cashier. "If you ever had a problem, you would go see him."

"When I heard this, I was shocked. It's shameful," she said. "I am a Muslim, but you can't kill like this. It's not who we are. In Islam, we're not told to slit throats. We only slit the throats of sheep. You don't slit the throats of people."

The suspected killer, she added, "isn't a Muslim in my opinion."

___

Jamey Keaten reported from Paris. Michel Euler in Saint-Quentin-Fallavier contributed to this report.

-- (c) Associated Press 2015-06-28

[wangsuda]

The suspected killer, she added, "isn't a Muslim in my opinion."

Bull****. Your "suspected killer" IS the modern face of Islam.

[rwdrwdrwd]

Only as much as Breivik is the face of modern Christianity.

[Merzik]

Only as much as Breivik is the face of modern Christianity.

Ridiculous . Breivik is a man-bites-dog example that is rejected by Christians. There is nothing in the New Testament that would justify his act nor in the life example of Jesus. Any abuses in Christianity came centuries after the death of Jesus. In contrast the prophet Mohammad led more than 150 wars of aggression and what were essentially pirate raids where victims were murdered, enslaved, forced to convert to Islam and robbed of their women and possessions. There is absolutely no comparison in Christianity. The holy books of Islam are replete with hundreds of verses urging violent jihad violence against infidels such as this:

Quran (8:12) - "I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them" ( No reasonable person would interpret this to mean a spiritual struggle.)

Brevick was mentally ill with no support by Christians; whereas IS and violent jihadists have considerable support in the Muzz world that has been revealed in numerous MSM polling. Recently 16% of French citizens voiced there sympathy for IS in polls reported by Newsweek Magazine. Obviously this support is from the Muzz community in France. Polls in the Muslim world and in the West of muslims reveal high levels of support for terrorism; as it conforms to the teaching of their religion.

Edited June 28, 2015 by Merzik

[Merzik]

The suspected killer, she added, "isn't a Muslim in my opinion."

Bull****. Your "suspected killer" IS the modern face of Islam.

You are correct. The support for violent jihadists is considerable in the French Muzz community and elsewhere.

http://www.newsweek.com/16-french-citizens-support-isis-poll-finds-266795

[arfurcrown]

Interesting to note the religious fanatics of all those fraudulent beliefs rush out to condemn Islam and and other brands of superstitions

Perhaps if the track record of the greatest con game ever RELIGION in all its lying. cheating trouble making evil hate mongering entities and the amassing of obscene wealth for whatever reasons were to be challenged a little more often perhaps then the greatest threat to peace in this world would fade into obscurity as would the fanatics who interpret the ideas spouted as a road to intolerance and violence.

Not one of any of the worlds religions can claim to offer peace and tolerance.

My god loves us all but if you don't follow my ideals my god will let me kill you as he she has given me the divine right to exterminate , murder, torture and enslave those who disagree with my mythical leader. The voices I hear every day are in my mind.

History prove religion kills.

[rijb]

I've wondered what the world would be like without religion or money. Not sure which one is worse. Could one survive without the other?

[Merzik]

Right.. if we must pretend that any of these religious nutcases, whatever their 'religion', actually follow the books and not interpretations by other nutcases, I will present another example

Only as much as Baruch Goldstein is the modern face of Judaism.

Luke 19:27:

But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

The verse in Luke is in a parable and refers to King Herod; not Jesus.

[Yunla]

It is important to take outdated religious texts from all religions, in historical context, because that lore that was created in times and places that were ruled entirely by the sword, and not ruled by digital information as our modern age is.

The Muslim scholars in my twitter-feed have been posting against violence day and night for years, and speaking out against it in public. They speak about how jihad (struggle) applies to daily life, we struggle in our work and study, struggle in coping with loss of loved ones, struggle in ill health etc. They quote the Koran where it says things like "the greatest man is the one who shows kindness to women."

The question is, should we base our views on a religion using the darkest ancient texts written by people who are long since gone, or should we listen to people who are very much alive today and spend their lives broadcasting positive messages of love and faith. The choice is really ours, and I would question the motives of people who choose to only listen to the darkest of ancient texts, over the most positive of modern speakers who love their God and only want peace.

The cowardly murderers in the OP and Tunisia, are just cowardly murderers. They could claim to be cowardly murderers because The Smurfs told them to do it. That doesn't make it The Smurfs' fault. Cowardly murderers are not religious, they are not going to Heaven, they are just cowards who use battlefield weapons to murder defenceless holidaymakers. To say that they represent any religion is to insult the countless kind-hearted faith-loving people who practice religions peacefully.

All religions speak of how God loves you for your kind heart, not your physical strength, and how the weakest people are often the strongest in the eyes of God. Anyone who reads this must seriously know that acts of cowardice will not get you to Heaven. And there is nothing more cowardly than using war weapons against defenceless holidaymakers, factory-workers, comic-writers etc. So I judge these murderers not in religious terms, but in simple criminal terms. They are cowardly murderers first and foremost, I don't feel the need to analyse them beyond that.

[LomSak27]

another day another outrage for the Religion of Peace

[simple1]

It is important to take outdated religious texts from all religions, in historical context, because that lore that was created in times and places that were ruled entirely by the sword, and not ruled by digital information as our modern age is.

The Muslim scholars in my twitter-feed have been posting against violence day and night for years, and speaking out against it in public. They speak about how jihad (struggle) applies to daily life, we struggle in our work and study, struggle in coping with loss of loved ones, struggle in ill health etc. They quote the Koran where it says things like "the greatest man is the one who shows kindness to women."

The question is, should we base our views on a religion using the darkest ancient texts written by people who are long since gone, or should we listen to people who are very much alive today and spend their lives broadcasting positive messages of love and faith. The choice is really ours, and I would question the motives of people who choose to only listen to the darkest of ancient texts, over the most positive of modern speakers who love their God and only want peace.

The cowardly murderers in the OP and Tunisia, are just cowardly murderers. They could claim to be cowardly murderers because The Smurfs told them to do it. That doesn't make it The Smurfs' fault. Cowardly murderers are not religious, they are not going to Heaven, they are just cowards who use battlefield weapons to murder defenceless holidaymakers. To say that they represent any religion is to insult the countless kind-hearted faith-loving people who practice religions peacefully.

All religions speak of how God loves you for your kind heart, not your physical strength, and how the weakest people are often the strongest in the eyes of God. Anyone who reads this must seriously know that acts of cowardice will not get you to Heaven. And there is nothing more cowardly than using war weapons against defenceless holidaymakers, factory-workers, comic-writers etc. So I judge these murderers not in religious terms, but in simple criminal terms. They are cowardly murderers first and foremost, I don't feel the need to analyse them beyond that.

Out of curiosity do any of the people of the Islamic faith you follow on the internet talk to the issue of abrogation in Islam. The Islamists use abrogation as one of their justifications for their acts. The leaders of DAESH refer to the Islamic version of the Apocalypse. Do they attempt to counter these issues?

“Since its inception, the leaders of the Islamic State have been obsessed with Islamic prophecies of the ‘End Times,’ ” said William McCants, a fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Center for Middle East Policy. “Even the establishment of the Islamic State itself is based on their interpretation of when those End Times would occur.”

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jan/5/apocalypse-prophecies-drive-islamic-state-strategy/?page=all

[Scott]

Off-topic posts removed.

[Trentham]

The suspected killer, she added, "isn't a Muslim in my opinion."

Bull****. Your "suspected killer" IS the modern face of Islam.

You and the one person who clicked like so far are part of the reason terrorists [ not Muslims] want to kill us.

[Trentham]

Only as much as Breivik is the face of modern Christianity.

Ridiculous . Breivik is a man-bites-dog example that is rejected by Christians. There is nothing in the New Testament that would justify his act nor in the life example of Jesus. Any abuses in Christianity came centuries after the death of Jesus. In contrast the prophet Mohammad led more than 150 wars of aggression and what were essentially pirate raids where victims were murdered, enslaved, forced to convert to Islam and robbed of their women and possessions. There is absolutely no comparison in Christianity. The holy books of Islam are replete with hundreds of verses urging violent jihad violence against infidels such as this:

Quran (8:12) - "I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them" ( No reasonable person would interpret this to mean a spiritual struggle.)

Brevick was mentally ill with no support by Christians; whereas IS and violent jihadists have considerable support in the Muzz world that has been revealed in numerous MSM polling. Recently 16% of French citizens voiced there sympathy for IS in polls reported by Newsweek Magazine. Obviously this support is from the Muzz community in France. Polls in the Muslim world and in the West of muslims reveal high levels of support for terrorism; as it conforms to the teaching of their religion.

"There is absolutely no comparison in Christianity." My God [no pun intended] just have a look at the antics of America's Southern Baptists.

[chuckd]

When was the last time a southern Baptist beheaded another?

When was the last time a southern Baptist planted a bomb anywhere?

When was the last time a southern Baptist destroyed a passenger plane in flight?

Need I go on to dispell your ridiculous post?

Islamic radicals are driving the Islamic world. The silent majority are immaterial.

[smotherb]

The suspected killer, she added, "isn't a Muslim in my opinion."

Bull****. Your "suspected killer" IS the modern face of Islam.

You and the one person who clicked like so far are part of the reason terrorists [ not Muslims] want to kill us.

Perhaps it is persons like you who wish to set the blame only on muslim extremists rather than the religion as a whole is the reason muslims have not done more to eradicate these terrorists within their religion.

[Jimlove]

"The suspected killer, she added, "isn't a Muslim in my opinion."

Stupid ignorant biatch ...

[Jimlove]

The suspected killer, she added, "isn't a Muslim in my opinion."

Bull****. Your "suspected killer" IS the modern face of Islam.

You and the one person who clicked like so far are part of the reason terrorists [ not Muslims] want to kill us.

Who are "us" you talk about ... ? Please dont include me with your red lefties - These traitors are the reason Europe soon is a Dead-zone with civil-war ...

[BuaBS]

Well , I hope this opens some French eyes , to vote for Marine Le Pen in the next election. Hard line on immigrants ( and maybe a Frexit ?)

[Trentham]

The suspected killer, she added, "isn't a Muslim in my opinion."

Bull****. Your "suspected killer" IS the modern face of Islam.

You and the one person who clicked like so far are part of the reason terrorists [ not Muslims] want to kill us.

Who are "us" you talk about ... ? Please dont include me with your red lefties - These traitors are the reason Europe soon is a Dead-zone with civil-war ...

Now you guys have to make up your minds. Am I a Fascist or a Red Lefty?

[Alwyn]

Only as much as Breivik is the face of modern Christianity.

Ridiculous . Breivik is a man-bites-dog example that is rejected by Christians. There is nothing in the New Testament that would justify his act nor in the life example of Jesus. Any abuses in Christianity came centuries after the death of Jesus. In contrast the prophet Mohammad led more than 150 wars of aggression and what were essentially pirate raids where victims were murdered, enslaved, forced to convert to Islam and robbed of their women and possessions. There is absolutely no comparison in Christianity. The holy books of Islam are replete with hundreds of verses urging violent jihad violence against infidels such as this:

Quran (8:12) - "I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them" ( No reasonable person would interpret this to mean a spiritual struggle.)

Brevick was mentally ill with no support by Christians; whereas IS and violent jihadists have considerable support in the Muzz world that has been revealed in numerous MSM polling. Recently 16% of French citizens voiced there sympathy for IS in polls reported by Newsweek Magazine. Obviously this support is from the Muzz community in France. Polls in the Muslim world and in the West of muslims reveal high levels of support for terrorism; as it conforms to the teaching of their religion.

"There is absolutely no comparison in Christianity." My God [no pun intended] just have a look at the antics of America's Southern Baptists.

I'm curious as I'm not familiar with America's southern baptists but do they randomly bomb civilians? Do they put people into cages and lower the cages under-water killing those inside the cage? Do they raid villages and kill all adults and take the young girls to sell into slavery? Do the murder THER OWN women for wearing a wrong colour coat? I could carry on but you get my drift I guess

[MaeJoMTB]

I'm curious as I'm not familiar with America's southern baptists but do they randomly bomb civilians? Do they put people into cages and lower the cages under-water killing those inside the cage? Do they raid villages and kill all adults and take the young girls to sell into slavery? Do the murder THER OWN women for wearing a wrong colour coat? I could carry on but you get my drift I guess

Don't know about Baptists, but the Spanish Inquisition (Catholics) sure did some of that.

And Cromwell's lot (English Protestants) cut off a few peoples heads.

Edited June 28, 2015 by MaeJoMTB

[Alwyn]

I'm curious as I'm not familiar with America's southern baptists but do they randomly bomb civilians? Do they put people into cages and lower the cages under-water killing those inside the cage? Do they raid villages and kill all adults and take the young girls to sell into slavery? Do the murder THER OWN women for wearing a wrong colour coat? I could carry on but you get my drift I guess

Don't know about Baptists, but the Spanish Inquisition (Catholics) sure did some of that.

And Cromwell's lot (English Protestants) cut off a few peoples heads.

Yes but that's the difference. That was medieval times and we're supposed to have matured and learned from history. Islam is still a barbaric medieval religion.

[MaeJoMTB]

I'm curious as I'm not familiar with America's southern baptists but do they randomly bomb civilians? Do they put people into cages and lower the cages under-water killing those inside the cage? Do they raid villages and kill all adults and take the young girls to sell into slavery? Do the murder THER OWN women for wearing a wrong colour coat? I could carry on but you get my drift I guess

Don't know about Baptists, but the Spanish Inquisition (Catholics) sure did some of that.

And Cromwell's lot (English Protestants) cut off a few peoples heads.

Yes but that's the difference. That was medieval times and we're supposed to have matured and learned from history. Islam is still a barbaric medieval religion.

I agree most Islamic countries are still medieval and barbaric.

Letting them into civilized countries is a mistake.

The two just don't mix.

What they should do,

Designate each country with one religion,

If you are a fanatic/devotee of that religion, or don't really care about religion, you can live there.

Edited June 28, 2015 by MaeJoMTB

[Alwyn]

After bantering a bit and reading a lot of comments my one thought is - what is the point of religion? Who actually benefits from religion? It's the longest running scam in history and still seemingly intelligent people get sucked in it. Why? What does religion actually do for anybody - except extract money from their banks and the catch-all excuse for a good rousing war?

[Yunla]

Out of curiosity do any of the people of the Islamic faith you follow on the internet talk to the issue of abrogation in Islam. The Islamists use abrogation as one of their justifications for their acts. The leaders of DAESH refer to the Islamic version of the Apocalypse. Do they attempt to counter these issues?

“Since its inception, the leaders of the Islamic State have been obsessed with Islamic prophecies of the ‘End Times,’ ” said William McCants, a fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Center for Middle East Policy. “Even the establishment of the Islamic State itself is based on their interpretation of when those End Times would occur.”

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jan/5/apocalypse-prophecies-drive-islamic-state-strategy/?page=all

I don't know huge numbers of Islamic scholars, but the ones I follow never speak of the End Times, or Palestine, wars or victimisation etc. which as I understand it is the meat and potatoes of the extremist rhetoric.

The Muslims I follow online, are typically talking about their own faith, prayer and the practical mundane side of their religious life, such as how tired they feel during Ramadan, or posting photos of their family at mealtimes and visits to religious or historical sites. My best friend is a Kenyan medical doctor and Islamic scholar, she is very modern and supports a lot of womens-rights issues, and protecting endangered-species etc. She will tweet passages from the Koran that describe her feelings after working double shifts at hospital. She has a very poetic turn of phrase, she prides herself on situational observations and trying to write them in funny and beautiful ways. And in common with the other scholarly Muslims I follow, she is keen to distance herself from the angry and hateful bickering in social media.

The overall feeling I get is twofold, one is that they are simply tired of the strident rhetoric being used by some groups, and two they feel they have so many positive and gentle experiences in their faith, the simple joy that love for God brings them in their daily lives, so they would rather talk about this, perhaps in the hopes that it rubs off on future generations and defuses the tense atmosphere online. Common themes are that you can never study too much, the importance of education and work, and the value of waiting for your true love to come along (and how upsetting that wait can be!), things that are equally important to so many people in other cultures too.

[BuaBS]

I'm curious as I'm not familiar with America's southern baptists but do they randomly bomb civilians? Do they put people into cages and lower the cages under-water killing those inside the cage? Do they raid villages and kill all adults and take the young girls to sell into slavery? Do the murder THER OWN women for wearing a wrong colour coat? I could carry on but you get my drift I guess

Don't know about Baptists, but the Spanish Inquisition (Catholics) sure did some of that.

And Cromwell's lot (English Protestants) cut off a few peoples heads.

http://worldsworstmassmurderer.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/britain-worlds-worst-mass-murderer.html

[Alwyn]

I'm curious as I'm not familiar with America's southern baptists but do they randomly bomb civilians? Do they put people into cages and lower the cages under-water killing those inside the cage? Do they raid villages and kill all adults and take the young girls to sell into slavery? Do the murder THER OWN women for wearing a wrong colour coat? I could carry on but you get my drift I guess

Don't know about Baptists, but the Spanish Inquisition (Catholics) sure did some of that.

And Cromwell's lot (English Protestants) cut off a few peoples heads.

Yes but that's the difference. That was medieval times and we're supposed to have matured and learned from history. Islam is still a barbaric medieval religion.

I agree most Islamic countries are still medieval and barbaric.

Letting them into civilized countries is a mistake.

The two just don't mix.

What they should do,

Designate each country with one religion,

If you are a fanatic/devotee of that religion, or don't really care about religion, you can live there.

BOOM!! you got it in one

[Trentham]

When was the last time a southern Baptist beheaded another?

When was the last time a southern Baptist planted a bomb anywhere?

When was the last time a southern Baptist destroyed a passenger plane in flight?

Need I go on to dispell your ridiculous post?

Islamic radicals are driving the Islamic world. The silent majority are immaterial.

They are subtle. they spout their rhetoric and incite others to action.

[quandow]

The suspected killer, she added, "isn't a Muslim in my opinion."

Bull****. Your "suspected killer" IS the modern face of Islam.

You left out the word "radical" before Islam. Trust me, I'm not defending that religion. I saw an interview with an Islamic scholar who had also received a western education, and in trying to define some of the inconsistencies of Islam, he finally said westerners could never understand the illogic of Islam. While these radicals make up about 10% of all Islam, they get most of the headline coverage.

And F4CK YEAH this murderer certainly is the modern face of radical Islam!