Sun Apr 27 16:38:32 UTC 2025: **France Reels After Brutal Mosque Stabbing; Suspect at Large**
PARIS, France – A wave of shock and condemnation has swept across France following the brutal stabbing murder of a young Malian man inside a mosque in the southern village of La Grand-Combe. The attack, which occurred Friday, April 26, 2025, left Aboubakar Cisse, in his early twenties, dead after suffering up to 50 stab wounds. The perpetrator, identified as Olivier A., a French citizen of Bosnian origin, remains at large.
President Emmanuel Macron swiftly denounced the act, stating that “racism and hatred based on religion can have no place in France.” He expressed support for the Muslim community and affirmed the inviolability of freedom of worship. Prime Minister Francois Bayrou called the attack an “Islamophobic atrocity.” However, while investigators are prioritizing the Islamophobia angle, Prosecutor Abdelkrim Grini cautioned that other motives are being considered.
The attacker, who filmed the assault and shared it online before the video was removed, is described as unemployed and without a prior criminal record. Authorities have launched a large-scale manhunt, with 70 investigators actively pursuing leads. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau emphasized that the possibility of an anti-Muslim motive is being thoroughly investigated.
Approximately 1,000 people marched through La Grand-Combe on Sunday to remember the victim, highlighting the emotional toll the incident has taken on the small community. Further protests against Islamophobia are planned, including one in Paris. The French Council of the Muslim Faith and the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France have both strongly condemned the attack. The investigation continues.
First Piper 