He admitted everything. Arrested “discreetly” on December 6 within the walls of the largest high school in Brittany, this student enrolled in second year at the Bréquigny high school seems to be the one at the origin of the false bomb alert sent on December 4 to the principal of the Rennes establishment. On the morning of December 5, all 3,500 students and 500 staff members had to be evacuated, for fear of the presence of an explosive device that did not exist.
Upon investigation, the judicial police ended up identifying the author of this email written in Arabic and French which was accompanied by a photo of an explosive device but also photos of Islamic State prisoners and a Daesh flag. Analysis of this teenager’s smartphone and computer showed that he regularly visited a site broadcasting scenes of beheadings perpetrated by Daesh, reports the Rennes public prosecutor. Questioned about his potential radicalization, the teenager denied any adherence to radical Islam but admitted to being the author of the alert email. “He explained the sending of threats to the Bréquigny high school by his anger following his mother’s refusal to accept a change in the direction of his training and his desire to avoid a French course where his results were mediocre,” specifies the prosecutor Philippe Astruc.
Presented to a children’s judge, the teenager will be tried in February for threatening death or damage to property and disclosing false information to make people believe dangerous destruction. Placed under judicial supervision, he is prohibited from attending school.
Since September 19, 85 false bomb threats have been recorded within the jurisdiction of the Rennes public prosecutor’s office alone, mainly targeting schools, cinemas or the airport. Three people were arrested.