Europe

Lyon bomb suspect pledged allegiance to Islamic State

Suspect admits making and planting bomb, judicial source says

Soldiers of French antiterrorist plan ‘Vigipirate Mission’, secure the access near the site of a suspected bomb attack in central Lyon on May 24th 2019. A small explosion Friday on a busy street in the French city of Lyon lightly injured several people, local officials said. Photogrpah: Sebastien Erome/AP Photo
Soldiers of French antiterrorist plan ‘Vigipirate Mission’, secure the access near the site of a suspected bomb attack in central Lyon on May 24th 2019. A small explosion Friday on a busy street in the French city of Lyon lightly injured several people, local officials said. Photogrpah: Sebastien Erome/AP Photo
Fri May 31 2019 - 11:36

The man suspected to have planted a parcel bomb in the central French city of Lyon that wounded 13 people last week has told investigators that he had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, a judicial source said on Thursday.

Police arrested the main suspect, 24-year-old Algerian computer student, and three other people in connection with the case on Monday.

“He admitted having made the parcel bomb and deposited it late on Friday afternoon not far from Lyon-Perrache train station in front of a bakery,” the source close to the investigation said.

A handout photo made available by the French National Police shows a man who is the suspect in the bomb explosion in rue Victor Hugo in the centre of Lyon, France on May 24th 2019. The suspect is reported to be at large and the motive for the attack is still unclear. Photograph: French National Police/EPA
A handout photo made available by the French National Police shows a man who is the suspect in the bomb explosion in rue Victor Hugo in the centre of Lyon, France on May 24th 2019. The suspect is reported to be at large and the motive for the attack is still unclear. Photograph: French National Police/EPA

Most of those hurt were hospitalised for treatment to leg injuries that were described as light.

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French president Emmanuel Macron characterised the incident as an “attack” when the news broke during a live YouTube interview ahead of the European elections.

A handout photo made available by the French National Police shows a man who is the suspect in the bomb explosion in rue Victor Hugo in the centre of Lyon, France on May 24th 2019. The suspect is reported to be at large and the motive for the attack is still unclear. Photograph: French National Police/EPA
A handout photo made available by the French National Police shows a man who is the suspect in the bomb explosion in rue Victor Hugo in the centre of Lyon, France on May 24th 2019. The suspect is reported to be at large and the motive for the attack is still unclear. Photograph: French National Police/EPA

The partially masked suspect appeared in security camera footage wheeling a bicycle to the scene, before leaving a bag outside a branch of Brioche Doree, a popular bakery chain.

Soon after he left, the blast rained metal bolts on passersby in front of the premises on rue Victor Hugo, several blocks from the city’s main station, according to police.– Reuters