On the 14th, the Christmas market attacked in Strasbourg, France, reopened, and police patrolled with guns to strengthen security.
"France's number one public enemy was killed", according to Agence France-Presse reported on the 13th, Strasbourg terrorist attack suspect Sharif Shecat was killed by the French police that night.
According to Agence France-Presse, on Wednesday night local time, the police released a photo of Shekat and called on insiders to report it. The Russian Satellite News Agency reported on the 14th that the suspect was previously hiding in a warehouse in Strasbourg. A woman reported Sheqate's whereabouts to police Thursday night, and three patrol officers subsequently spotted him on Lazar Street. Shekat first shot at the police and escaped into a building. During the engagement, he was shot dead at around 9 p.m. that night, with no police officers injured in the process. Paris prosecutor Remy Heiz rushed to the scene to confirm the suspect's identity at the first time, when Sheikat's body was parked on the steps, still holding an old pistol. French Interior Minister Castane confirmed the news to the outside world, and major French television stations interjected the news and broadcast live pictures. After the news was announced, the local residents suddenly felt much more relaxed, "which will help us to restore normal life." Strasbourg Mayor Roland Rees said the local Christmas market reopened on Friday.
Although Shekat is dead, French police are still investigating whether he was really a member of an extremist group. At the scene of Tuesday's attack, he was heard shouting "Allah supreme," and the hijacked taxi driver also heard the suspect say he was "avenging the dead brothers in Syria." In addition, the extremist group Islamic State (IS) claimed on its website that Shekat was an IS fighter and declared responsible for the attack. Le Figaro quoted professionals as saying that Shekat did not look like a "professionally trained man" and that he might have used this as a bluff. Castane refutes IS's claims, saying the group is "fundamentally opportunist." According to the "Parisian" reported on the 14th, Shekat's 34-year-old brother Sami was arrested in Algeria. He was listed by the French government as a possible threat to national security and left France shortly before the attack. Investigators wanted to find out whether Sami was aware of his brother's plans and whether he had provided some assistance in the terrorist attack.
"The French judiciary is reflecting", counter-terrorism expert Gilles Kerber said that Sherkat is a native of France, and when and what prompted him to turn into an extremist is worth paying attention to. Agence France-Presse said shek was a second-generation migrant born in Strasbourg who had been sentenced 27 times by judges for theft and violent crimes in the past, and the last time he was exposed to religious extremism in prison, he became a terrorist. After his release from prison in 2015, he was added to the extremist list by the authorities. "This tragedy is also a reminder that prisons are instead places where radicalism spreads and intensifies," Kerber said.
"VOICE OF America" said that after the terrorist attack, France dispatched more than 700 police forces to pursue Shekat. A French government spokesman said on Thursday that in view of the current tight security forces, he hoped that the "yellow vests" would not continue to demonstrate on the 15th, "We need to invest all the security forces to ensure that the people can enjoy the holiday with peace of mind." According to statistics, France will welcome millions of tourists in the coming weeks, and how to balance safety and security with the festive atmosphere is the top priority of the government. From Lille in the north to Lyon in the south, Christmas markets across France have been significantly enhanced with security measures. The gendarmerie has stepped up surveillance of all entrances and exits of the market, reserved cordons, and dealt with emergencies at any time. (Author Dong Ming)