Failed Champs Elysée Bomber Made Several Trips to Turkey, Supported ISIS

Failed Champs Elysée Bomber Made Several Trips to Turkey, Supported ISIS
French police secure the area on the Champs Elysees avenue after an incident in Paris, France, June 19, 2017. (Charles Platiau/Reuters)
Chris Jasurek
6/22/2017
Updated:
6/22/2017

The driver who rammed a Paris police van on June 19 had raised numerous red flags in the prior two years.

Adam Djaziri had traveled to Turkey three times in 2016. He was questioned in Paris while departing for Istanbul because he was carrying an unusual amounts of gold and jewelry. He claimed he was a jewelry dealer.

French prosecutor François Molins said Djaziri wanted to get to Syria.

In a letter written in the form of a will and dated the day of his death Djaziri pledged allegiance to the head of ISIS. He said in the letter he practiced marksmanship to be successful in jihad.

Djaziri had been on the terrorist watch list since 2015.

French police officers engage with a suspect outside a car at the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris, France June 19, 2017 in this still image obtained from social media. (EUGENIO MORCILLO via REUTERS)
French police officers engage with a suspect outside a car at the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris, France June 19, 2017 in this still image obtained from social media. (EUGENIO MORCILLO via REUTERS)

He had obtained a gun permit prior to that and had amassed a small arsenal. He had nine firearms, including an AK-47 assault rifle. He was rumored to be collecting arms for future terrorist attacks while posing as a gun enthusiast.

He had two pistols and the rifle with him when the rammed the police van. The two large gas cans he also had in his car failed to ignite.

Even so the van he rammed briefly caught fire.

Djaziri died in the crash, possibly from smoke inhalation.

Djaziri was born in a Paris suburb and married to a Tunisian woman. They had two children.