Prosecutor Opens Investigation Against Toulouse Killer’s Brother

The Paris prosecutor formally opened today an investigation against Abdelkader Merah, the brother of the man who killed seven people in and around Toulouse, on charges of complicity in the murders and the financing of terrorism, his office said in a statement.

The prosecutor said “serious and corresponding signs” showed Merah, 29, may have helped his brother Mohamed Merah in the killings. Between March 11 and 19, Mohamed Merah killed three paratroopers, three children and one teacher at a Jewish school. He was shot dead by the police on March 21.

Abdelkader Merah’s wife and the men’s mother were freed by the prosecutor who said that “at this point” of the investigation the prosecution had no charges to be held against them, according to the statement.

To contact the reporters on this story: Helene Fouquet in Paris at hfouquet1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Vidya Root at vroot@bloomberg.net