A FRENCHMAN ARRESTED in Bulgaria on January 1 trying to cross into Turkey was in contact with one of the men who carried out Islamist attacks in Paris last week, prosecutors have said.
Fritz-Joly Joachin, 29, a French citizen of Haitian origin, “was in contact several times with one of the two brothers — Cherif Kouachi,” public prosecutor Darina Slavova told AFP.
Reuters reports that the man has agreed to be extradited to France, and that a court will make a final decision on Friday.
He was arrested at a border checkpoint under a European arrest warrant alleging that he had abducted his 3-year-old son, and was planning to take him to Syria, according to the Reuters report. A second arrest warrant cites possible association with the France gunmen and conspiracy in terrorism.
The Kouachi brothers — Cherif and Said — carried out their massacre at the Paris offices of French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday of last week.
Two days later they were shot dead by French security forces.
Around ten thousand extra troops are being deployed across the country in the wake of the attacks.
Includes reporting from AFP.
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