Trappes attack: four political figures featured on list at attacker's home
A list containing the names and telephone numbers of four left-wing figures was discovered at the home of Kévin Tessier, the author of a racist attack in Trappes. The individuals concerned regret not having been informed by the authorities.
A list discovered during the search
The national counter-terrorism prosecutor confirmed on 11 November that a list contained the names and first names of four public figures as well as their mobile telephone numbers, discovered on a table at Kévin Tessier's home during a search. According to Nouvel Obs, the four people targeted are ecologist MP Sandrine Rousseau, Aymeric Caron (founder of the REV party), David Guiraud (mayor of Roubaix and elected official for La France insoumise) and Assa Traoré (anti-racism activist).
Kévin Tessier, the author of the racist attack on 23 October in Trappes, told investigators that he had compiled this list because these figures were "left-wingers, enemies of France". He stated that he had found their contact details on a "pirate internet site" and had thought that "it could perhaps be useful one day", while denying having any specific plans against these people.
The indignation of the targeted figures
The four individuals expressed outrage at learning of this information through the press rather than through the authorities. David Guiraud learned the news from journalists, expressing regret to the AFP that the government had not warned him. On X, the elected official posed the question ironically: "I have still had no word from the government. But perhaps I am being too demanding in asking to be warned when a terrorist seems to want my head?"
Assa Traoré announced she would file a complaint and demanded "genuine measures" against racism and "full transparency on the investigation". Her lawyer, Yassine Bouzrou, accuses the counter-terrorism prosecutor of having refused to investigate what would be an "assassination plot" with a terrorist character. Sandrine Rousseau also stated her intention to file a complaint so that the courts can shed light on Tessier's intentions, regretting that she learned the news through the press rather than through the police.
Questions raised by this discovery
The counter-terrorism prosecutor emphasised that "no evidence" supported "the existence of a project for violent action" against these four individuals. Tessier assured investigators that he had "not yet planned anything" and had "no current project" concerning them.
Nevertheless, the lawyers for the targeted individuals contest this analysis. Yassine Bouzrou is calling for a separate investigation from the one being conducted into the attack itself, arguing that the service responsible for combating online hate would be "incompetent to investigate projects for terrorist attacks". His colleague representing David Guiraud specified that his client was joining the proceedings as a civil party to end the "ignorance in which he has been kept".
The government's response
When questioned on LCI on 13 November, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated that he protected "everyone, in the same way, against projects for violent action". He affirmed that "the Interior Minister, when he protects his fellow citizens, has no political opponent, he has no political friend". This statement comes after criticism from the figures on the list, who have accused the authorities of failings in prevention and communication.
Context of the racist attack
On 23 October, Kévin Tessier carried out a racist attack in Trappes and La Verrière. The attacker killed young French mixed martial arts champion Pengo Bossio Wangi and injured seven other people, four of them seriously. Tessier admitted to having "specifically targeted people (…) who appeared to be Muslim or African or North African".
Source: Le Nouvel Obs