Paris attack: A minister raises a “failure” in the “psychological” follow-up of the suspect

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Monday that there had been a “clear failure” in the “medical” follow-up of the alleged perpetrator of the deadly knife attack near the Eiffel Tower on Saturday evening in Paris.

“He was clearly suffering from a psychological failure, and doctors on several occasions deemed him better,” Gerald Darmanin told BFMTV.

Armand Rajabour-Miandob, a 26-year-old French-Iranian, was arrested after the attack that left one dead and two injured, and has been placed on an Islamist extremism list and is subject to a treatment order that includes strict psychological monitoring.

But a government spokesman confirmed on Monday that the suspect’s “medical, administrative and penal course” was in accordance with “the rule of law.”

“The administrative and penal provisions for this person were consistent with what was possible under the rule of law, namely four years’ imprisonment, three years of psychological follow-up, and long-term supervision,” Olivier Veran announced on RTL radio.

He explained: “This person was diagnosed with a mental illness and a follow-up commitment was made that was respected, that is, three years of follow-up and there was always a link to medical services.”

He was sentenced in 2018 to five years in prison, one of which was suspended, on terrorism charges. He served four years in prison. He added that he was closely followed by the intelligence services.

“These obligations were fulfilled, and with all that, he was able to kill. Should the law be strengthened to prevent this kind of tragedy from being repeated one day? For example, the question arises about extending the treatment regime when it comes to people who combine mental illness and extremism.” .