Man Arrested for Threatening to Blow Up Cathedral
A 38-year old man was arrested after he burst into the Cathédrale Saint-Vincent de Chalon-sur-Saône during the Mass on April 28th, and threatened to blow everything up with a grenade and gestured toward his satchel. He also grabbed a Mass book and shouted "it is the Koran that should be read!" Parishioners promptly called the police and Ahmed X was soon placed in custody. Highly intoxicated, he remained in jail for two days before appearing in court to face charges. Due to 27 previous convictions, including violent offenses, the court ruled that he would be held in jail until his trial at the end of May. He is considered a recidivist under French law and could face enhanced penalties if convicted in this case.
The priest said that although everyone remained calm during the violent outburst, they could not help but recall the murder of Father Jacques Hamel in Saint-Etienne du Rouvray.
Sources: Info-Chalon, Le Journal, Le Progres, Le Progres, Dreuz and Les Observateurs
Photo by Joan, CC BY-NC 2.0, via Flickr