An Algerian man has been arrested in a terror probe after a disabled Christian influencer was stabbed to de@th in France during a livestream to his followers.
Ashur Sarnaya, 45, an Iraqi Christian, was st@bbed in the neck on the evening of September 10 at the foot of his apartment building in Lyon.
Sarnaya, who was active on social media and regularly posted videos about his faith, was broadcasting live on TikTok from his wheelchair when he was attacked.
The assailant fled on foot, while the victim died from his injuries.
A 28-year-old Algerian national was later arrested in Italy on suspicion of carrying out the k!lling.
He had arrived in Milan by bus on September 12, then travelled via Rome before heading south.
On October 2 police detained him in Andria, at the home of fellow Algerians under a European arrest warrant.
A large knife was seized during his arrest, police said.
France has requested the suspect’s extradition, but as of Thursday, he remained in Italy, according to two sources close to the case.
Five others were taken into custody in Lyon after being in contact with the suspect but were released without charge.
The investigation is now being led by Parisian anti-terrorist investigating judges, who have taken over the case initially supervised in the Rhône.
The probe, initially opened for voluntary homicide, was quickly reclassified as an investigation for murder by the Lyon prosecutor’s office, but investigators remained cautious about the motive for the crime.
On October 9, the investigation was extended to include the offenses of ‘murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise’ and ‘criminal terrorist association.’