As the world mourns the Bastille Day celebration attack in Nice, France, on Thursday, more details are starting to emerge about the truck driver who killed more than 80 people. The driver of the attack is reported to be Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, a French-Tunisian delivery driver. The Independent reported police had formally identified Bouhlel after discovering identification papers and a phone in the truck used in the attack.
Since the attack occurred, more information is starting to come out about Bouhlel. Although he had a lengthy criminal record, police said he was not suspected to having been radicalized or be on file with anti-terrorism police. The Telegraph dug into his private life and found that he was married and had very little interest in religion. A neighbor of his told The Telegraph he was a bit of a loner and kept to himself:
“He was rude and a bit weird. We would hold the door open for him and he would just blank him. He kept himself to himself but would always rant about his wife. He had marital problems and would tell people in the local cafe. He scared my children though.”
Although he allegedly had no connections or convictions for terrorism, Bouhlel did have a vast criminal record. Police accounted him for assault with a weapon, domestic violence, threats and robbery. His truck was also full of explosives and weaponry, and some believe Bouhlel purchased the truck on Wednesday night.
Bouhlel was shot and killed shortly after the incident, and police are still trying to put together whether he worked alone. Authorities are interviewing his relatives to further complete the puzzle of why he attacked the celebration.
(Via The Telegraph and The Independent)