IP Address Leads Police to Shootout with French Terrorist

(Photo: AFP/GETTY)

Elite French special operation RAID Police took down the radical Muslim terrorist Mohamed Merah on Thursday. Like the scene out of a Hollywood movie, Merah wearing a black robe and a bullet proof vest, actually counterattacked the police assault to end the 32 hour siege at his house.

“It’s the first time in my life I’ve seen someone, as we launch an assault, launch an assault against us“, said Amaury de Hauteclocque the leader of the RAID police force.

Merah, a self proclaimed Al-Qaeda terrorist died in the shoot out with police after going on a killing spree that included three french soldiers, and four people at a Jewish school in Toulouse, including a 7 year old girl. He was tracked down, believe it or not, by his IP address.

According to Reuters, Merah contacted one of his first victims, a French soldier, on the pretext of buying his scooter. From this communication, investigators were able to match Merah to his IP address. He was already under surveillance due to suspicious behavior that included trips to Afghanistan and Pakistan. On one trip he was arrested by Afghan police and detained by US Forces. He was placed on the United State’s No Fly List.

The IP address and other tips led police to raid Merah’s house.