French Terror Suspect Obsessed with ISIS Could Have Plotted Trap for Gays

The fifth major terrorist attack thwarted by French Intelligence this year

© Global Look Press / ZUMAPRESS.com / Media Drum World; Getty Images / Leon Neal

An alleged Islamic State supporter who was arrested on charges of plotting terrorism also planned to kill gay men by luring them through dating websites, according to French media.

The 23-year-old Pakistani, (Pakistani, now that's a surprise; pfft!) who was arrested in June alongside his 21-year-old Chechen friend, came under the spotlight of the General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI) intelligence agency at the beginning of the year, with the French bureau looking into his involvement in online Salafist circles.

Just before his arrest, at the end of May, authorities also discovered the suspect had used dating websites to contact young men, Le Parisian reported. 

According to the newspaper, the Pakistani terrorist suspect – identified only as ‘AB’ – contacted 20 or so gay men through dating websites. He used a picture of a white male with blonde hair in his profile.

One of them told investigators that the Pakistani had called him offering oral sex, while speaking in a thick accent which didn't align with his profile picture. The man immediately became suspicious and called police.

AB has denied being gay or bisexual, and denies contacting any of the men who claim they received messages from him. “I am a practicing Muslim but against terrorism,” he told police.

Yes, and I always tell the truth, except, right now!

However, that claim doesn't align with something else authorities found – some 7,000 images of Islamic State atrocities, as well as cryptic Telegram messages referencing a “project” which he told others to be “discreet” about.

Meanwhile, AB's Chechen friend was found to own a ring with IS symbols on it, along with several knives and a makeshift firearm. When confronted by investigators, he said he “just wanted to be like Macgyver on TV,” referring to the on-screen American legend known for his unconventional problem solving.

The “project” allegedly being planned by the two suspects is one of at least five major terrorist plots to be thwarted by French authorities this year, according to Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, who revealed that number in October.

Russian Marines Join Hezbollah in First Syrian Battle – a Danger Signal for US, Israel

Before dawn on Thursday, Sept. 24, Russian marines went into battle for the first time since their deployment to Syria, DEBKAfile's military and intelligence sources reveal. Russian Marine Brigade 810 fought with Syrian army and Hezbollah special forces in an attack on ISIS forces at the Kweiris airbase, east of Aleppo.

This operation runs contrary to the assurances of President Vladimir Putin to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sept. 21 - just three days ago - that Russian forces in Syria were only there to defend Russian interests and would not engaged in combat with the Syrian army, Hezbollah or Iranian troops.

This has got to be rather upsetting to PM Netanyahu; having Russia align with an enemy of Israel has frightening potential. Then there is the fact that Putin flat-out lied to him. But did he actually expect that Putin would tell the truth. I'm pretty sure Netanyahu knows that there are two demographics you can count on to lie incessantly - militant Muslims and Mafia.

The ISIS force defending the air base is dominated by Chechen fighters under the command of Abu Omar al-Shishani, who is considered one of the terrorist organization's leading commanders in the last two years. The 27-year-old al-Shishani hails from the Chechen enclave of Pankisi in Georgia, like many others who joined ISIS from 2012.

However, targeting Chechen fighters was not the only reason for the order given by Russian command in Syria to attack the air base.  In DEBKA Weekly 678 of September 11, it was predicted that the first Russian mission in Syria would be to break the Syrian rebel siege on Aleppo, Syria's second-largest city.

As their first step, the Russians would have to prevent the cutoff of highway 5, running from Aleppo to Damascus, and keep it open for Syrian army reinforcements and military equipment to the city.

The offensive to regain Kweires airbase that fell to ISIS in mid-June is the first step in the implementation of Russia's operational plan for the Aleppo area.

Meanwhile, little substance was to be found in the reports appearing, mainly in the United States, suggesting that Putin, disappointed by the Obama administration's unwillingness to send the US Air Force to collaborate with Russia in the fight against ISIS, would try to talk Obama round if and when they meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on September 28.

According to DEBKAfile's sources, these reports were spread to cover up the serious crisis in the US war against ISIS.

While Russia poured troops and advanced hardware into Syria, establishing bases and launching offensive action, the US anti-Islamic State effort suffered a heavy blow with the decision of Obama's ISIS war czar, Gen. John Allen, to step down in early November.

Lt. Gen. John Allen

Sources close to the general were quoted as referring to his frustration "with the White House micromanagement of the war and its failure to provide adequate resources."'

The fact that the Russian forces launched their attack on ISIS shortly after the announcement of Allen's upcoming resignation shows that Putin is not waiting for US cooperation in the war on the Islamist terrorists.    That said, DEBKAfile's military sources point out that the most ominous aspect for the US and Israel of the Russian attack on the Syrian airbase is that Russian marines were combined with Syrian and Hezbollah special forces.

For the first time in 41 years, since the 1974 war of attrition against the IDF on the Golan, Russian troops are fighting alongside Syrian forces. It is also the first time that a world power like Russia is willing to go into battle with an acknowledged terrorist group, such as Hezbollah.

Our sources point out that the joint attack was completely counter to the tone and the content of the comments exchanged by Putin and Netanyahu at their summit.