Gunman charged with terrorism over foiled ‘plot to kill hundreds on train’

The Moroccan suspect in a foiled attack on a high-speed Paris-bound train is facing terrorism charges over what authorities say was a plan to unleash carnage among hundreds of passengers. Ayoub El-Khazzani was charged overnight, say French prosecutors. The 26-year-old, who was overpowered by at least five passengers, including three Americans and a Briton, is accused of carrying out a “targeted and premeditated” jihadist attack. He is also accused of firearms offences and “participation in a terrorist association with a view to organising one or several damaging crimes," El-Khazzani has denied terrorism plans and said he stumbled upon a bag of weapons and decided to use them to rob passengers. His older brother, Imran, also insisted he had no links with terrorism.

I swear to you before God that my brother has nothing to do with a terrorist. We are Muslims. We respect people.

Suspect’s older brother Imram

Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said El-Khazzani watched a jihadi video on his cellphone moments before the attack and that — although he claimed to be homeless — he used a first-class ticket. He boarded the Amsterdam-Paris train in Brussels where he paid for the ticket in cash and turned down an earlier train, an indication the target had been carefully chosen in advance, Mr Molins said. The suspect’s explanations became increasingly incoherent until he stopped speaking altogether to investigators, he added. But his brother Imram insisted he was no terrorist. He said: "He could have gone crazy. His life was without a doubt difficult. He didn’t have much money. It could have gone from bad to worse.”

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