Paris prosecutor Jean-François Ricard gives a press conference at the Paris courthouse, France, Saturday Oct. 5, 2019. French prosecutors opened an investigation Friday that treats the fatal knife attack that a civilian employee carried out at Paris police headquarters as a potential act of terrorism. The longtime police employee stabbed four colleagues to death Thursday before he was shot and killed. (AP Photo/Rafael Yaghobzadeh)
The Associated Press
PARIS (AP) - The perpetrator of a deadly knife attack at a Paris police headquarters was likely in contact with members of an ultra-conservative reform movement of Islam, the Paris prosecutor said Saturday.
In a press conference, Jean-Francois Ricard said the civilian employee, who killed four of his colleagues Thursday, "had likely contacts with members of the Salafist movement."
He didn't elaborate further on his claim.
He revealed fresh details about the fatal ordeal, one day after French prosecutors opened an investigation into the attack, which they indicated could be terror-related.
Ricard said the autopsies "attest to a scene of extreme violence" in an attack that lasted seven minutes, adding that two knives used had been purchased by the killer - including a knife for preparing oysters.
Ricard said that while the knifeman had no prior convictions, he had been accused of domestic violence a decade ago.
The wife of the knifeman, who was killed by police, is in custody until Monday at the latest. Ricard said she exchanged 33 text messages with her husband about Islam in the hours leading up to the attack.
Authorities said the unnamed attacker had worked for the Paris police force since 2003, didn't have a history of psychiatric problems, and converted to Islam 18 months ago.
It took some 24 hours for authorities to say the attack was a potential act of terrorism, and on Friday morning the French government was still maintaining there was nothing to suggest the armed attacker had any ties to extremist groups.
French opposition lawmakers from the Republicans and the far-right National Assembly party are accusing Macron's government of bungling the case and are calling for a parliamentary inquiry.
Paris prosecutor Jean-François Ricard gives a press conference at the Paris courthouse, France, Saturday Oct. 5, 2019. French prosecutors opened an investigation Friday that treats the fatal knife attack that a civilian employee carried out at Paris police headquarters as a potential act of terrorism. The longtime police employee stabbed four colleagues to death Thursday before he was shot and killed. (AP Photo/Rafael Yaghobzadeh)
The Associated Press
A helicopter is parked on the Pont Marie bridge after an incident at the police headquarters in Paris, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. A French police union official says an attacker armed with a knife has killed one officer inside Paris police headquarters before he was shot and killed. (AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu)
The Associated Press
A helicopter is parked on the Pont Marie bridge after an incident at the police headquarters in Paris, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. A French police union official says an attacker armed with a knife has killed one officer inside Paris police headquarters before he was shot and killed. (AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu)
The Associated Press
Rescue vehicles park on the bridge leading to the Paris police headquarters, left, Thursday, Oct.3, 2019. A union official says 4 police officers have died in a knife attack by an employee at Paris police headquarters. (AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu)
The Associated Press
French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, center, and Paris police prefect Didier Lallement, right next to Castaner, give a press conference outside the Paris police headquarters, Thursday, Oct.3, 2019 in Paris. An employee armed with a knife attacked officers inside Paris police headquarters Thursday, killing at least four before he was fatally shot, a French police union official said. (AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu)
The Associated Press
Police officers control the perimeter outside the Paris police headquarters, Thursday, Oct.3, 2019 in Paris. An administrator armed with a knife attacked officers inside Paris police headquarters Thursday, killing at least four before he was fatally shot, officials said. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
The Associated Press
Police officers patrol outside the police headquarters in Paris, Friday, Oct. 4, 2019. The French government says there is nothing to suggest the police employee who stabbed four colleagues to death at Paris police headquarters yesterday was radicalized. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
The Associated Press
Police officers patrol outside the police headquarters in Paris, Friday, Oct. 4, 2019. The French government says there is nothing to suggest the police employee who stabbed four colleagues to death at Paris police headquarters yesterday was radicalized. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
The Associated Press
Paris prosecutor Jean-François Ricard gives a press conference at the Paris courthouse, France, Saturday Oct. 5, 2019. French prosecutors opened an investigation Friday that treats the fatal knife attack that a civilian employee carried out at Paris police headquarters as a potential act of terrorism. The longtime police employee stabbed four colleagues to death Thursday before he was shot and killed. (AP Photo/Rafael Yaghobzadeh)
The Associated Press