Lorry attacker ‘was indoctrinated by an Algerian ISIL member about two weeks ago’

The uncle of Mohamed Lahouaiyej, who carried out the Bastille Day attack in Nice, says his nephew's family problems made him an easy prey for recruitment by extremists.

Mohamed Lahouaiyej Bouhlel (pictured)’s rapid radicalisation has puzzled investigators. Kapitalis via AP

MSAKEN // The uncle of the lorry driver who killed 84 people on the French Riviera says his nephew was indoctrinated about two weeks ago by an Algerian member of ISIL in Nice.

French officials could not confirm on Monday that attacker Mohamed Lahouaiyej Bouhlel had been approached by an Algerian recruiter, saying that the investigation was ongoing.

ISIL claimed responsibility for last week’s attack, though interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve said on Monday that investigators had found no sign yet that Lahouaiyej Bouhlel had links to a particular network.

The driver’s uncle, Sadok Bouhlel, said that given Lahouaiyej Bouhlel’s family problems – he was estranged from his wife and three children – the Algerian “found in Mohamed an easy prey for recruitment”.

Lahouaiyej Bouhlel’s rapid radicalisation has puzzled investigators, and friends and family said he had not been an observant Muslim in the past. Mr Cazeneuve said on Monday that Lahouaiyej Bouhlelmay have been motivated by ISIL messages but not necessarily coordinating with a larger network.

“Mohamed didn’t pray, didn’t go to the mosque and ate pork,” said Sadok Bouhlel, a 69-year-old retired teacher, in Lahouaiyej Bouhlel’s hometown of Msaken, Tunisia. Mr Bouhlel said he learnt about the Algerian recruiter from extended family members who live in Nice.

Mr Bouhlel is devastated by his nephew’s act, and doesn’t want him buried in Msaken. “He made more than 80 families grieve, and stained the reputation of our town and our country.”

Mr Cazeneuve said on Monday that 59 of the 308 people injured in Thursday night’s attack were still in hospital, with 29 in intensive care.

France held a moment of silence on Monday to remember the victims. Thousands of people massed on the waterfront promenade where the Bastille Day celebrations had become a killing field.

Among the mourners was prime minister Manuel Valls, who was loudly booed as he arrived at and left the ceremony in Nice.

President Francois Hollande’s Socialist administration has come under blistering criticism from opposition conservatives after last week’s deadly attack. Former president Nicolas Sarkozy has accused the government of bad policies, which he says failed to prevent three major attacks in the past 18 months.

But Mr Cazeneuve hit back on Monday, listing a series of laws and extra police forces created under Mr Hollande’s presidency “to face a threat that France was not prepared for” when he took over from Mr Sarkozy in 2012.

* Associated Press