Overview

• Timothy G. was arrested June 27 by the DGSI near a Saint-Étienne high school carrying two knives and incel paraphernalia.
• The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office opened a formal terrorism investigation July 1 and remanded him in custody on July 2 on charges of terrorist conspiracy to prepare crimes against persons.
• Authorities had refused to pursue cases based solely on incel affiliation until late 2023, making this prosecution a pivotal policy shift in recognizing misogynist extremism as terrorism.
• Investigators say the 18-year-old identified himself as part of the involuntary celibate subculture and consumed misogynist videos on platforms such as TikTok.
• His lawyer, Maria Snitsar, described him as a suffering teenager rather than a hardened extremist, underscoring concerns over the online radicalization of vulnerable youths.