(PRI) When Chérif Chekatt opened fire last month in the French city of Strasbourg at one of the most famous Christmas markets in Europe, five people were killed and about a dozen were injured.
The 29-year-old Strasbourg native with Moroccan roots was no stranger to authorities. He had spent several years in and out of prison and had a criminal record nearly as long as his age — 27 convictions for theft and violence in France, Germany and Switzerland.
It was during his time in prison that authorities believe he showed signs of practicing an extreme form of Islam, according to French Deputy Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, and put him on a watchlist designating him as potentially dangerous. During the Strasbourg attack, witnesses heard him shout “Allahu akbar” or “God is great” in Arabic, the Islamic affirmation of faith frequently yelled out by Islamic militants during terrorist attacks. CNN also reported that he had pledged allegiance to ISIS.
