Nice terrorist reportedly had criminal record but was not known to be radicalized

Truck used in Nice terrorist attack.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The driver of a truck that mowed through a Bastille Day crowd in Nice, killing 84 people, was a 31-year-old French-Tunisian with a criminal record, and was well-known to police, local French media reports. Police told Nice-Matin that ID papers and a phone found in the truck suggest the man was named Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel.

Bouhlel worked as a delivery driver in Nice, and was well-known to police due to a history of petty crime. He was found guilty of "violent contact" in March. However, he was not known to be radicalized, and did not have an anti-terrorism file, The Independent reports. Still, the attack appeared premeditated — Bouhlel rented the truck used in the Thursday attacks on Wednesday, a local paper citing a police source said.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
Explore More
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.