‘Radicalised’ Frenchman Flew to Morocco with Suitcase of Knives

A Frenchman described as “radicalised” was arrested in Morocco after arriving on a Ryanair flight with knives and a gas bottle in his luggage, a local government official said on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old man, who had previously been under house arrest in France, was held upon arrival in Fez on Sunday, where authorities discovered the items, as well as a black balaclava, in his luggage.

He flew there with the low-cost airline from Nantes in western France, despite heightened security following an Islamic State group attack on Paris in November that left 130 people dead.

Local government officials identified him as Manuel Broustail, a former soldier who converted to Islam. He was arrested in November after the attacks and placed under house arrest.

The municipality of the Loire-Atlantique region said Broustail was no longer under house arrest when he checked into the flight, and there was no reason to stop him leaving France.

According to photos published in Moroccan media, Broustail’s luggage appeared to contain at least four kitchen knives, a machete, two pocket knives, a truncheon, a balaclava and gas bottle.

The municipality said France had signalled the man’s presence to the Moroccan authorities and that his arrest in Fez “was not a matter of chance”.

The Dublin-based carrier Ryanair told AFP the case was “the responsibility of Nantes airport security officials who are investigating”.

The municipality said Broustail’s hand luggage had contained nothing out of the ordinary, and his checked baggage had not raised alarm bells when passing through electronic detectors as it did not contain explosives.

A source close to the investigation said Broustail had moved to Morocco with his wife last year and had returned to France to sell his apartment.