French authorities detain suspect in ‘Incel’ terrorism case

(MENAFN) An 18-year-old man in France has been charged with terrorism for allegedly planning knife attacks on women, marking the country’s first terrorism case tied directly to the incel movement, according to media reports citing the National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT).

The incel (involuntary celibate) subculture is an online community primarily composed of men who harbor resentment over their lack of romantic or sexual relationships, often blaming women and feminist ideals for their frustrations. This ideology has been linked to several violent attacks targeting women in various countries.

Authorities confirmed that the suspect, identified as Timothy G., was arrested last Friday near a high school in the Saint-Etienne region carrying two knives. Investigations revealed he openly identified with incel beliefs and intended to target women. He has been charged with terrorist criminal conspiracy with the intent to commit violent crimes and is currently in custody.

The case is being handled by anti-terrorism prosecutors, signaling that French officials are treating this form of gender-based violence as a possible act of terrorism.

This is the first time the PNAT has pursued a case focused solely on incel ideology. Previously, the ideology appeared on the periphery of two other terrorism investigations in France, involving individuals with various extremist beliefs, including admiration for far-right ideologies and terrorist attackers like Anders Breivik and Brenton Tarrant.

Timothy G. reportedly expressed interest in these earlier cases as well.

The influence of harmful online communities promoting misogyny has drawn increased attention in France. The recent Netflix documentary series ‘Adolescence’ examined how misogynistic content spreads on the internet, highlighting figures like online influencer Andrew Tate, who has nearly 11 million followers on X and faces rape charges.

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