TerrorismBrother-in-law of Charlie Hebdo killer arrested for trying to join ISIS

The brother-in-law of one of the gunmen who attacked the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris in January 2015 has been detailed in Turkey, and deported to Bulgaria, on suspicion that he was trying to join ISIS in Syria.

Mourad Hamyd was first arrested in January 2015 on suspicion that he was the getaway driver for the Kouachi brothers, who carried out the attack.

Journal du Dimanche reports that he was released after a social media campaign conducted by his high school classmates, who claimed he was in class at the time of the attack.

It appears that one of his former classmates tipped the French authorities that Hamyd was on his way to Syria — the Paris prosecutor’s office told AP someone “close to Hamyd” alerted the police — and he was detained in Turkey on 28 July and deported to Bulgaria.

Hamyd carried no weapons, but the French magazine said he had a military uniform, gloves, and sturdy shoes in his backpack.

Back in January 2015, when he was first arrested, Hamyd said he was a normal 18-year-old who lives with his parents, saying he had “nothing to do with this whole thing” and hopes it will not affect his future.

“I was stunned, completely overwhelmed by the events,” he told AFP in the presence of his lawyer and family members.

“I’m in shock, people said horrible and false things about me on social media even though I am a normal student who lives quietly with his parents.”

Hamyd’s sister was married to Cherif Kouachi, one of two brothers who carried out the deadly attack which killed twelve people at the Charlie Hebdo offices.