Mulhouse attack: François Bayrou assures that the suspect was presented "14 times to the Algerian authorities"

Political tensions between France and Algeria are increasing. While relations between the two countries are historically troubled and have been particularly tumultuous for several months, a man born in Algeria and under OQTF is today the main suspect in the deadly attack perpetrated in Mulhouse on Saturday, February 22.

The French authorities had then declared that the alleged assassin had been presented ten times to Algiers, which continually refused him. A situation that François Bayrou had already deemed "unacceptable" on Monday, February 24.

And this Wednesday morning, February 26, at the dawn of an interministerial council on immigration where the question of Algeria will be discussed, the Prime Minister explains that these figures have been revised upwards.

"The individual who killed in Mulhouse had been presented 14 times to the Algerian authorities, these are the figures provided to me by the Ministry of the Interior. And 14 times, the Algerian authorities said no."

"For me, this is simply unacceptable," he adds.

François Bayrou assured that the government will speak after this meeting on immigration to detail what was discussed and thought about.

The alleged assailant of the Mulhouse attack arrived in France illegally in 2014 according to Bruno Retailleau. After a six-month sentence for condoning terrorism, the man was released after four and a half months of detention. He was then placed in an administrative detention center (CRA) for three months, during which time France tried to deport him to Algeria.

He was then placed under house arrest in Mulhouse, and had to report to the police station. This Saturday, the man reported to the police station but refused to report. It was after this visit to the police station that he committed the knife attack .