Overview
Earlier today, a man claiming to be a member of al-Qaeda took four bank employees hostage, including the director, at a CIC bank in Toulouse, France. At around 10:00 AM, the suspect reportedly entered the bank and fired a shot after the staff refused to give him money. Police responded immediately by surrounding the perimeter of the bank and blocking off roads. Rapid intervention GIPN (National Police Intervention Groups) police units were dispatched from Marseille and Bordeaux and children from a nearby school were evacuated.
Through a hostage negotiator, the gunman demanded to speak to RAID (Research, Assistance, Intervention, Dissuasion) officers who were at the scene of the 32 hour standoff in March between authorities and Mohamed Merah. Seven people were killed following Merah’s deadly attacks on French paratroopers and a private Jewish school.
During today’s five hour standoff, the gunman freed two of the four hostages. The remaining two were released after police intervention resulted in the minor injury and subsequent arrest of the suspect. None of the hostages were harmed.
Key Points
- The suspect claimed to have explosives inside the bank.
- Authorities report that the gunman has a history of psychiatric problems.
- According to Toulouse Prosecutor Michael Valet, the gunman claimed his actions were “not for money but for his religious convictions.” He also claimed to be affiliated with al-Qaeda although this has not yet been confirmed.
- The bank was located near the home of Mohamed Merah, who also claimed links to al-Qaeda.
Implications
This incident has not been confirmed as an act of terrorism. The suspect’s actions may have resulted from a psychological condition. The gunman is now in custody which will allow authorities to better assess his motives. There is currently no indication that today’s hostage situation is connected to Merah’s attacks in March.
The incident demonstrates that lone-wolf attacks remain a serious threat to soft targets such as banks and financial institutions. Large-scale attacks from al-Qaeda or associated groups are unlikely as they have been under increased pressure from western counterterrorism forces. As a result, there has been a trend towards individual attacks which are harder to detect/deter. For example, the most recent issue of Inspire magazine focused heavily on small arms attacks and the importance of striking western, economic targets. Low-tech tactics are a seemingly preferred method of attack as they are easily employed and require little training or coordination. MSA Intel will continue to monitor for further developments.