The French teacher who was allegedly stabbed in the neck by an assailant shouting pro-ISIS slogans, made the entire story up, French prosecutors have announced.
Following the Paris attacks in November, the preschool teacher sparked further hysteria on Monday, claiming he was attacked by a balaclava-wearing man yelling “This is for Daesh. It’s a warning.”
The BBC reports:
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The teacher said he had been attacked while alone in a classroom in Aubervilliers, a suburb of Paris.
But prosecutors said he had wounded himself with a box cutter and was now being questioned as to why he lied.
France remains on high alert following the terror attacks in Paris on 13 November that left 130 people dead.
The 45-year-old teacher – who has not been named – has been treated in hospital for superficial wounds to his side and neck.
According to his account, a man had attacked him with a box cutter at about 07:10 (06:10 GMT) on Monday and had shouted: “This is for Daesh [Islamic State]. It’s a warning”.
The incident sparked a manhunt in the northern suburb, as police tried to track down the alleged attacker.
The anti-terrorism branch of the Paris prosecutor’s office also opened an investigation for attempted murder in relation to a terrorist act.
Earlier on Monday, Education Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem visited the scene and vowed to increase security at French schools.
All classes at the Jean-Perrin preschool were cancelled.
Mayor of Aubervilliers Pascal Beaudet said it was not yet known what had motivated the teacher to lie.
