France church attack: Assailant's family demands answers

A third suspect is in French custody Saturday in connection with an Islamic extremist knife attack that killed three people in a Nice church, as family of suspected Tunisian assailant demanded to see video foot of what happened.

Investigators in France, Tunisia and Italy are trying to determine motive of chief suspect Ibrahim Issaoui and wher he acted alone and wher he premeditated Thursday’s attack on tre Dame Basilica.

Authorities have labeled attack, which took place amid growing tensions around cartoons published by a French newspaper mocking Prophet Muhamm, an act of Islamist terrorism,

Issaoui, who transited through Italy last month en route to France, is in critical condition in a French hospital after being wounded by police as y arrested him.

A 35-year-old man who h met with Issaoui in Nice was arrested overnight, a judicial official said Saturday. A 47-year-old man who h met with Issaoui night before attack was alrey in custody, bringing number of detained suspects to three. ir connection to attack remains unclear.

A previously unkwn Tunisian extremist group claimed responsibility for attack, and Tunisian and French authorities are investigating wher claim is legitimate.

In Issaoui’s hometown of Sfax, his family expressed shock and appealed for peace. But y also expressed bewilderment that this young man who drank alcohol and showed outward signs of ricalism would flee to France and attack a church.

“We want truth about how my son carried out this terrorist attack. I want to see what surveillance cameras showed. I will t give up my son’s rights outside country. I want my son, de or alive," his mor Gamra told Associated Press, her words often interrupted by tears.

His far and bror Wissem said that if Issaoui indeed carried out attack, he should face justice.

“We are Muslims, we are against terrorism, we are poor. Show me that my bror committed attack and judge him as a terrorist," Wissem said. "If he was attacker, he will take his responsibility.”

On dusty Tina Street in Nasr neighborhood of Sfax, his friends and neighbors described Issaoui as a man who sold gasoline for motorcycles. While t starving or homeless, he was poor like many in area, poverty that is driving more and more young Tunisians to seek jobs and opportunity in Europe.

He h h small-time run-ins with law as a teen, but thing that alerted Tunisian authorities to possible extremist leanings. That meant that when he was served an expulsion order from Italy, he was basically free to go where he pleased.

Italy’s interior minister, Luciana Lamorgese, told AP that Italy’s overburdened repatriation centers h place for him, despite agreements with Tunisia governing return of citizens who don’t qualify for asylum in Italy.

“Obviously, we give precedence to people who are signaled by law enforcement or by Tunisian authorities,’’ Lamorgese said. “ number of spots are t infinite, and he could t refore be placed inside a repatriation center.’’