Toulouse killer Mohammed Merah described himself as an "an Islamist warrior"

Toulouse (CNN) -- Mohammed Merah, a 23-year-old man described by French authorities as a self-styled al Qaeda jihadist, has been named as the chief suspect in a series of shootings that have left seven people dead.

A picture is emerging of a man who was already known to the police and had apparently sought out Islamist jihadists in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

"He claims to be a jihadist and says he belongs to al Qaeda," Interior Minister Claude Gueant told reporters in Toulouse. "He wanted to avenge the Palestinian children and take revenge on the French army because of its foreign interventions."

A French national of Algerian origin, he had been under surveillance by French intelligence for a couple of years, having "already committed certain infractions, some with violence," Gueant told CNN affiliate BFM-TV.

Merah has spent considerable time in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Gueant said.

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dempseyfire said:

The number of Muslims in France has dramatically increased, partly because of immigration and partly because of a high birth rate.

The increasing numbers of Muslims in European countries may become a serious threat to Jews, with random attacks like this one becoming more likely.

A lot of Muslims deeply resent Zionists, and now that the thousands of Muslims in European countries have become many millions, there's bound to be more extremists, even though the radicals represent only a tiny fraction of the Muslim population.

Ironically, Jews in Europe and elsewhere have been instrumental in persuading governments to increase immigration.

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frederic38 said:

the funny thing is that they thought that the killer was a crazy neo nazi

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Lisa D said:

exactly, for two days they told us it was surely a racist neonazi from far right movements. sorry for journalists, it was not the case, it would have been so great for them to have their 'French Breivik'...

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I wonder what this will do to Sarkozy's chances in the upcoming elections after his recent statement that there are too many immigrants in France and he will do something about it if re-elected. Or will this help Le Pen more? Either way, I hope this is a wake up call for the French people.

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DixieDestroyer said:

I'd describe him as a cowardly, heathen invader of European soil who's now began his eternal torment. There's NO justification for killing children...irregardless of their faith or race. That type of brutal conduct is wicked and evil.

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