Knife attack in Annecy: mentally ill person or terrorist in Christian clothing?

Knife attack in Annecy: mentally ill person or terrorist in Christian clothing?

Annecy knife attacker Abdalmasih Hanoun carried out a gruesome attack in June 2023, seriously injuring six people, including four small children, in Le Pâquier city park. The incident occurred on June 8 when Hanoun, a 31-year-old Syrian refugee, appeared at a playground with a 10cm knife and wearing black clothing, shouting "In the name of Jesus Christ." Despite these incidents, the police ruled out terrorist motivation and classified the man as mentally ill. According to Henri d'Anselme, who pushed back the attacker, he was not a persecuted Christian, as was initially reported by many media outlets, but a former Assad army fighter who later had ties to ISIS before fleeing to Europe to seek political asylum. , Express reported.

The background to the attack casts a dark light on refugee policy in Europe. Hanoun, who came to Sweden via Turkey, fled with his wife in 2011, while in 2023 he was unable to find protection in France after several rejected asylum applications in Sweden. A rejection of his naturalization in Sweden was reportedly the trigger for his deep depression, which eventually led him to France, where he lived as a homeless man. Despite his serious psychological problems, Hanoun had no previous criminal record and had no psychiatric report. The case highlights how the authorities' passivity regarding his asylum status had potentially disastrous consequences, ultimately leading to the most brutal knife attack of the year, in which a three-year-old British child was among the victims. , according to Wikipedia.

The attack attracted national attention and led to a political debate about security in public spaces and the reception of refugees. While Hanoun was immediately arrested, it remains unclear how his case will be handled in the future. He is currently in a psychiatric facility and the relevant authorities plan to re-interview him to clarify the exact circumstances of his behavior and the motives behind the dangerous incident.