Ardennes: Armed man arrested by the GIGN, investigation for terrorism apology

A man armed and sought by the GIGN on the outskirts of the town of Warcq (Ardennes) was eventually apprehended on the evening of May 21st. He is under investigation for public apology of acts of terrorism and aggravated death threats.

A man armed and actively sought for several hours by the GIGN on the outskirts of the town of Warcq (Ardennes) was apprehended and placed in custody, we learned from the public prosecutor of Ardennes, on May 21st, shortly after 11 p.m. The individual, born in 1987, is under investigation for public apology of acts of terrorism and aggravated death threats, added the magistrate, who specified that the investigations were entrusted to the Sedan research brigade.

Magali Josse “congratulates the professionalism and collective mobilization” of the numerous services involved in this operation: in addition to the GIGN, the GIGN unit of Reims, the Sedan company, the PSIG of Sedan, the PSPG, the negotiator of the Departmental Gendarmerie Group, the BTA of Nouzonville, the police station of Charleville-Mézières, the municipal police and the firefighters of Ardennes “who enabled the success of this operation”.

According to initial information, the security operation began around 5 p.m. in Warcq, a village with around a thousand inhabitants, bordering Charleville-Mézières, the prefecture. The area was quickly surrounded by law enforcement. Contrary to what the mayor of the town initially stated, “at no time did the apprehended man exhibit a weapon in public”, emphasizes Magali Josse. According to the official, the armed and sought man then took refuge in an uninhabited house, not far from the church square (see map below).

In the late afternoon, the children enrolled in after-school care were evacuated and parents were called to pick them up from a secure location. Law enforcement set up their command post in the building usually used for after-school care. The sought individual is said to be a resident of the village and around forty years old – at this point, details not confirmed by prosecutor Josse.

Shortly after 7 p.m., the owner of a bar located near the church square shared: “For the past two hours, I’ve been forbidden to go out, I see GIGN men in the street. We don’t know what’s happening.” Before 9 p.m., the law enforcement presence had significantly reduced without any arrest taking place. The arrest occurred later, at a location not disclosed by the prosecutor.