French Muslims' worst nightmare

Yesterday, the French authorities informed the waiting media that their most likely suspect was a French Far Right Neo-Nazi. The murder of three African and Caribbean French soldiers along with three Jewish children and an adult led them to believe that.

But this morning it has emerged that the murderer was not a Neo-Nazi but a French national with North African origin and Al-Qaeda sympathiser, Mohammed Merah. In the last few hours, he has admitted to the atrocities stating it was in revenge for France’s involvement in Afghanistan and revenge for those killed in Palestine.

During the dawn raid, French Special police entered the house but quickly retreated due to three officers being shot and wounded in a gun fire exchange.

Merah has told waiting French Special Forces that he will give himself up this afternoon.

So, what now in France, a nation already polarised by anti-immigration views? Unsurprisingly Marine Le Pen, the Far Right candidate, has sent out a statement saying the shootings are the result of France's mistaken policy in Afghanistan and said France should wage war against "these fundamentalist political and religious groups that are killing our children."

With the French Election only weeks away, immigration and hatred toward the ‘other’ will once again take centre stage. One suspects that for French Muslims today this news is their worst nightmare.

Simon Woolley