Racist attack in Trappes: weapon acquired illegally, counter-terrorism prosecutors questioned
The perpetrator of the 23 October attack in the Yvelines obtained his weapon "clandestinely", according to counter-terrorism prosecutor Olivier Christen. The number of cases related to violent far-right extremism is rising sharply.
Weapon purchased illegally, investigation opened into its acquisition
The perpetrator of the racist terrorist attack on 23 October in the Yvelines obtained his firearm illegally, declared counter-terrorism prosecutor Olivier Christen on Tuesday on RTL. According to lefigaro.fr, Kévin T. "was not legally in possession of a firearm": the weapon "was purchased clandestinely", Christen specified, adding that "the investigations will have to focus on the way he was able to acquire this weapon".
The weapon in question belongs to "category A", which includes in particular automatic weapons firing in bursts. "Weapon elements", that is to say devices intended to make it more effective, have also been identified.
Shotgun training for years
Mediapart revealed on Monday that Kévin T. had been training to shoot with a shotgun on a vacant lot in Saint-Cyr-l'École for years, with images dating from summer 2015 to support this. Questioned on the possibility that the authorities may have missed warning signs, Olivier Christen replied: "In this case, I do not believe so. I do not have any elements that would allow us to think that."
"The mere fact that someone is a member of a sports club or participates in clay pigeon shooting activities cannot in itself be sufficient to potentially identify a target. There are many people who participate in these activities in a wholly peaceful manner", he added.
One dead, seven wounded, 22 psychological victims
On 23 October, Kévin T., driving his car, killed a 26-year-old French national of African origin and wounded seven other people, four of them seriously, mostly of African and Maghrebi origin, in Trappes and La Verrière in the Yvelines. The National Counter-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office (Pnat) also counts 22 additional victims who were not physically harmed, but whose vehicle was struck by bullets or who were targeted without being hit — which, according to Christen, "obviously creates psychological distress".
Sharp rise in cases related to the far-right
Since its creation in July 2019, Pnat has opened 23 cases concerning "violent radical far-right", a figure described as "growing over recent years" by Olivier Christen. "We generally had one or two cases opened per year. We had 6 in 2025, 6 for the time being in 2026", he detailed.
By comparison, four cases were opened over seven years for "violent radical far-left", against 480 in relation to jihadism. "The main threat currently remains the jihadist threat", the prosecutor emphasised.
No specific targeting of elections, but vigilance required
Questioned on a potential risk as the presidential election approaches, Christen indicated that "there is not currently, in what is detected, specific targeting of elections". Terrorists, "regardless of ideological segment", are according to him "opportunists" who act when "the situation, at a given moment, allows them to do so": "that is why one must always be vigilant when there are gatherings, and notably sporting ones".
The prosecutor also mentioned a climate of social tension that could encourage certain individuals to act: "This can, obviously, create a general situation that can lead certain people to think that it is the right time to act."
Record level of terrorist threat ahead
"We are going to be this year at a number of cases opened in terrorist matters that will be one of the highest over the past 5-6 years", warned Olivier Christen. "The threat is very present, it is diversifying, it is perhaps more segmented than it has been", he concluded.
Source: Google News LU FR