The prosecutor's office in Paris has opened a formal terror investigation into the attack last Friday on a high-speed train traveling from Amsterdam to the French capital.
Moroccan suspect Ayoub El-Khazzani, 26, allegedly attacked people on the train using an automatic weapon. Prosecutor Francois Molins announced the formal action on Tuesday, saying the suspect watched a radical Islamic video on his cell phone aboard the train minutes before the violence, according to the Associated Press.
Three passengers were wounded during the incident. Three American friends, a British businessman and a French-American attempted to stop the suspect and eventually tackled him. They were awarded France's highest honor on Monday for thwarting the attack.
El-Khazzani is expected to face numerous charges, including an attempted terrorism-related attack. He will remain in custody during the investigation.
His lawyer has argued his client was trying to rob a passenger on the train.
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Michele Gorman is a Newsweek political reporter, with a focus on gun policy. She previously worked at msnbc.com, where she ... Read more
