DNA on juice bottle leads police to French soldier's suspected attacker
Unemployed and homeless suspect was known for his ties to radical Islam and his movements before attack were caught on camera, police say
Traces of DNA on an orange juice bottle and a surveillance video of a man praying in a mall have led to the arrest of a young suspect accused of stabbing a French soldier who was patrolling a crowded area just outside Paris.
The attack came days after a British soldier was slain on a London street in broad daylight, raising fears of potential copycat strikes.
The French suspect, identified only by his first name Alexandre D, was captured on camera Saturday offering a Muslim prayer in a corner of a busy shopping mall 10 minutes before he went after the soldier with a knife in the La Defense financial and shopping district.
The suspect fled the area after the incident but detectives said they had obtained "high-quality images" of him. A bag that he was carrying was found on the first floor of the centre.
Inside the bag, police found a pullover, a knife in a case, a second, empty knife case, and a bottle of orange juice that had been opened.
Prosecutor Francois Molins said the 22-year-old suspect was arrested yesterday outside Paris at the house of a friend who has not been implicated.
