French minister criticized over Nice attack police claims

Joggers, cyclists and sun-seekers are back on Nice’s famed Riviera coast, a further sign of normal life returning on the Promenade des Anglais where dozens were killed in the Bastille Day truck attack. French authorities have been looking for possible accomplices to Bouhlel.

One photo concerns a fireworks display on August 15, another a race on January 10 along the Promenade des Anglais where the attack took place, and another showed the opening times of the fan zone during the Euro football tournament.

Investigative magistrates will meet with all five suspects and make a final decision on whether to file preliminary charges later Thursday, a spokesperson for prosecutor François Molins told The Journal.

The suspects are four men – two Franco-Tunisians, a Tunisian and an Albanian – and one woman of dual French-Albanian nationality, Molins said.

The criticism comes as France’s National Assembly finalized the extension of the state of emergency, a security measure that’s been in place since the November 13 Paris attacks that left 130 dead and were claimed by the Islamic State group.

The criticism comes as the National Assembly extended France’s state of emergency for six month. The prosecutor said a text message from the same man found on a phone seized at Bouhlel’s said: “I’m not Charlie; I’m happy”.

Mounted French municipal police patrol to maintain security after the Bastille Day truck attack by a driver who ran into a crowd on the Promenade des Anglais that killed scores and injured as many, in Nice, France, July 17, 2016.

His clarification came as a newspaper accused officials of lacking transparency in their handling of the massacre. He insisted any police “shortcomings” will be carefully addressed, but he defended French authorities’ actions.

President Francois Hollande, whose personal ratings have plunged since the attack, said the investigation by the national police inspectorate and its report due next week would clear the air after days of accusations from local politicians.

“We will see proof that the preparations were from the start of the required serious standard”, the Socialist leader, who is facing elections next year, said during a visit to Ireland.

His comments come after French newspaper Liberation said Cazeneuve lied about the whereabouts of the national police officers and cars, and accused authorities of lacking transparency.