The African national suspected of attacking three people with a knife and hammer in the Gare de Lyon train station in Paris on Saturday has been revealed to have published anti-French videos despite police claiming that the attack was likely the result of mental illness.
A 32-year-old Malian, officially only identified as âKassogue S.â, who left three injured including one critically during an attack in Parisâ second-busiest train station on Saturday, reportedly had a history of anti-French comments and âa profile of pan-Africanismâ.
Police have claimed that the man suffers from mental disorders and that terrorism was not likely the motivation for the attack. However, videos published on his TikTok account, authenticated by the Le Parisien newspaper, saw the African national proclaim: âIâm not French, I donât dream of being French, I donât like France, I hate all French people.â
Kassogue, who entered France legally with Italian residence papers, added: âIt is my own reason to ignore France because the French who deprived me of my right to live, it is the French who took away my dignity. It was the French who stole⌠it was the French who took my grandparents hostage for slavery. It was the French who forced my grandparents to do forced labour to be able to settle their accounts, their economy.â
In another video, he said: âYou entered the African continent illegally for resources, mistreated people, raped women, murdered small children, removed childrenâs organs, stole our financial material goods⌠You are more cursed than Satan. Even Satan canât teach you a lesson.â
African Knifeman Wounds Three People in Paris Train Station Attackhttps://t.co/PYN6XYJbT8
â Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) February 3, 2024
The Malian man also appeared to suggest he was planning violence, saying: âSometimes you have to attack, you shouldnât always wait for the principle of reciprocity. Sometimes you have to attack to be able to dominate your own enemy, to be able to scare your enemy, to threaten your enemy. This is what we call the principle of dominationâ
While police have claimed that there is âno sign of religiosityâ as a motivating factor of the train station attack, Kassogue reportedly previously invoked Islam, saying according to Le Parisien: âRIP in three months, may Allah welcome me to his paradiseâ.
Despite this, Paris police were quick to declare that mental illness was the likely culprit for the attack, with police telling Le Figaro that Kassogue displayed âa profile that is half-homeless, half-psychological disordersâ and that he âwas found in possession of medication for psychiatric pathologiesâ.
While investigations continue, the police have said that early indications do not âsuggest that this is a terrorist actâ. They added that the suspect was âunknown to the police services in France and Italyâ.