A 10-year-old child is suspected of publishing a threat to attack an elementary school in Cambrai, France, La Voix du Nord and BFM TV reported on Thursday, based on police sources.
The child used his mother’s mobile phone to post the threat on 18 October via a video on TikTok, a social network normally forbidden to persons under the age of 13. Police were able to trace the phone line thanks to a report from users of the social network on the video.
Due to his young age, the boy could not be taken into custody, but was heard by the police “under restraint.” The parents were taken into custody on 19 October. However, no evidence “in favour of a planned attack” was found during these hearings or during a search of the family home.
The boy will undergo a child psychiatric examination to determine whether he was capable of discernment at the time of the events. If so, he will be tried. If not, the charges will be dropped.
Since the recent attack in Arras, which killed a teacher and injured several others, bomb threats, particularly against schools and airports, have become increasingly prevalent in France.
