Paris: An Algerian man accused of murdering a woman and planning an attack on a church on the southern edge of Paris claimed in court on Friday he had actually foiled the terror plot, his lawyers said.
"He admitted he was in Villejuif on April 19, 2015, with another individual. However, he denies responsibility for the death of Aurelie Chatelain and also affirms he thwarted an attack on that day," his lawyers told AFP, without specifying who the other individual they referred to was.
Sid Ahmed Ghlam, 24, was taken into custody on April 19 after he accidentally shot himself in the leg, a fluke occurrence that led police to uncovering an alleged plot against a church in the Villejuif suburb.
Ghlam's hearing was his first before an investigating judge since his arrest, the lawyers said.
In April, police said they found an arsenal of weapons, tactical gear and cellphones in Ghlam's car and student flat, but the suspect has consistently denied all the accusations he faces.
Investigators say they uncovered detailed plans to attack churches and linked Ghlam's DNA to the murder of Chatelain, a young mother who was found shot dead in the passenger seat of her car.
Security sources said the killing may have resulted from an attempt to steal the 32-year-old victim's car.
Paris prosecutors say they found documents at his residence about Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, and that he had been in touch with a possible jihadist in Syria to ask him how to attack a church.
With the country a prime target of the IS, which has singled France out in several videos, fears are running high that those who return radicalised from Syria or Iraq may carry out attacks in Europe.
Suspected of helping Ghlam with logistics, three other men are also currently under investigation. They say they had no knowledge of a terror plot.
"He admitted he was in Villejuif on April 19, 2015, with another individual. However, he denies responsibility for the death of Aurelie Chatelain and also affirms he thwarted an attack on that day," his lawyers told AFP, without specifying who the other individual they referred to was.
Sid Ahmed Ghlam, 24, was taken into custody on April 19 after he accidentally shot himself in the leg, a fluke occurrence that led police to uncovering an alleged plot against a church in the Villejuif suburb.
In April, police said they found an arsenal of weapons, tactical gear and cellphones in Ghlam's car and student flat, but the suspect has consistently denied all the accusations he faces.
Advertisement
Security sources said the killing may have resulted from an attempt to steal the 32-year-old victim's car.
Advertisement
With the country a prime target of the IS, which has singled France out in several videos, fears are running high that those who return radicalised from Syria or Iraq may carry out attacks in Europe.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Microsoft Outage "Affecting IT Operations" Paris Olympics Organisers Google Brings AI To US Broadcast Of Paris Olympics Cop Injured In Attack In Central Paris, Says French Minister Bangladesh Imposes Curfew, Deploys Military As 105 Die In Protests "Jindal Group Executive Showed Porn, Groped Me On Flight": Woman To NDTV Over 300 Indian Students Return Home As 105 Bangladeshis Killed In Protests Wife Among Two Jailed For Life For Man's Murder In Gurugram: Cops 1,100 Flights Cancelled In US As Microsoft Outage Disrupts Operations Elon Musk Congratulates PM Modi On Becoming Most Followed Leader On X Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.