On Thursday, a man shouting “Allahu Akbar” stabbed Orthodox Rabbi Shalom Levy in Strasbourg, France, down the street from the Great Synagogue.
This attack occurs just over one month after the Bastille Day terror attack in Nice that killed 85 and wounded 307, and three weeks after French priest Jacques Hamel was slaughtered during mass in his church in a village near Rouen.
However, though predictably, French authorities are already dismissing any ties to terrorism. Media has already invoked discussion of the “mental illness” of the suspect.
But some reports indicate that the suspect was involved in ANOTHER stabbing of an Orthodox Jew in 2010.
It appears Thursday’s incident is yet another “known wolf” attack. The Daily Mail reports:
A rabbi has been stabbed in Strasbourg, allegedly by a Muslim.
The attacker, who has been arrested, shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ — God is great — as he stabbed the 55-year-old man, Le Journal du Dimanche reported.
The Hasidic man was ‘moderately’ injured in the attack outside a brasserie in the north of the city, according to local reports.
The attacker is believed to have a history of mental health issues.
A source to the investigation told French station BFMTV that terrorism has been ruled out, however they are unsure of the man’s motive.
Officers have ruled out a terror motive for the attack and believe the suspect has suffered serious mental health issues.
“Mental health.” “Ruled out a terror motive.”
A curious response, considering he targeted a Jew, yelled “Allahu Akbar” … and was involved in a similar stabbing in 2010:
Great Rabbi of #Strasbourg days stabber already attacked an orthodox Jew in 2010. #breaking https://t.co/YP8eylr7nK
— Noga Tarnopolsky (@NTarnopolsky) August 19, 2016
The victim has been identified as Rabbi Shalom Levy, according to the Daily Express:
The 62-year-old victim, who is described as belonging to the orthodox Hasidic sect, was injured in the attack in the Jewish Quarter, 500 metres from the Great Synagogue of Strasbourg.
Named locally as Chalom Levy, he took refuge in a nearby bar before being taken to hospital.
Mendel Samama, a Strasbourg rabbi who visited him at the hospital, said Mr Levy described surviving the attack as a “miracle”.
He said: “He was shocked. He is weak. He was hit in the abdominal region a few centimetres from a vital organ.”
Mr Levy was said to be wearing items of clothing that would identify him as a Hasidic Jew.
Initial reports said the perpetrator was suffering from psychological problems and was known to the authorities for carrying out a similar attack in 2010.
This, too, is remarkable:
Alexandra Gonzalez, crime journalist for French digital TV channel BFMTV, tweeted (in French) to say that the injured man’s life was not in danger.
She also quoted a source close to the inquiry as saying that “no anti-Semitic motive had yet been established”.
It should be noted that immediately following the Bastille Day attack in Nice, media and the killer’s family pushed the “mental illness” narrative and claimed that he had acted alone — claims that were later completely debunked.
After the suicide bombing in Ansbach, Germany, the shootings in Munich, and the stabbings in London that killed an American woman, “mental illness” was repeatedly invoked in what has become a near-ubiquitous pattern after such attacks.
While French authorities again grapple with the mystery of the suspect’s motive in the Strasbourg attack, this incident can be added to the long list of what I have termed “known wolf” incidents, where the suspect was already known to law enforcement.
(Click to the following page for the list)
I’ve chronicled the “known wolf” phenomenon for nearly two years here at PJ Media:
Oct. 24, 2014: ‘Lone Wolf’ or ‘Known Wolf’: The Ongoing Counter-Terrorism Failure
Dec. 15, 2014: Sydney Hostage Taker Another Case of ‘Known Wolf’ Syndrome
Jan. 7, 2015: Paris Terror Attack Yet Another Case of ‘Known Wolf’ Syndrome
Feb. 3, 2015: French Police Terror Attacker Yesterday Another Case of ‘Known Wolf’ Syndrome
Feb. 15, 2015: Copenhagen Killer Was yet Another Case of ‘Known Wolf’ Terrorism
Feb. 26, 2015: Islamic State Beheader ‘Jihadi John’ Yet Another Case of ‘Known Wolf’ Terrorism
Apr. 22, 2015: Botched Attack on Paris Churches Another Case of “Known Wolf” Terrorism
May 4, 2015: Texas Attack Is Yet Another Case of ‘Known Wolf’ Terrorism
June 26, 2015: France’s Beheading Terrorist Was Well-Known By Authorities
July 16, 2015: Report: Chattanooga Jihadist Was Yet Another ‘Known Wolf’ Terrorist, Anonymous Feds Dispute
Aug. 22, 2015: European Train Attacker Another Case of ‘Known Wolf’ Terrorism
Oct 14, 2015: Yet Again: Turkey, Israel Terror Attacks Committed by “Known Wolves”
Nov 14, 2015: One Paris Attacker Was Previously Known to Authorities, Marks Fifth ‘Known Wolf” Attack in France This Year
Feb 16, 2016: Machete Attack in Ohio Yet Another Case of ‘Known Wolf’ Terrorism
May 16, 2016: News Reports Yet Another Case of ‘Known Wolf’ U.S. Terrorists
June 12, 2016: Orlando Night Club Attack by “Known Wolf” Terrorist Previously Investigated by FBI
July 14, 2016:Senate Intelligence Committee to Investigate “Known Wolf” Terrorism Problem
July 26, 2016:ISIS Suspect in Normandy Priest’s Killing Already Known to French Authorities
August 10, 2016:Canadian ‘Known Wolf’ Terrorist Planned Suicide Bombing of Major City, Killed in Overnight Police Operation
Given this record, more of these “Known Wolf” attacks can be expected.
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