French Teacher Invented Attack

A preschool teacher admitted lying about being stabbed by a man shouting "Islamic State."

17:54 15 December 2015

A preschool teacher admitted lying about being stabbed by a man shouting "Islamic State."

 

A 45-year-old teacher at a French school said he had been attacked while alone in a classroom in Aubervilliers in Paris. However, he later admitted that he made the story up.

 

Prosecutors said he had wounded himself with a box cutter and has been treated in hospital for superficial wounds to his side and neck.

 

He is now being questioned as to why he lied.

 

According to his account, a man attacked him with a box cutter at about 06:10 GMT on Monday and had shouted: "This is for Daesh [Islamic State]. It's a warning".

 

The incident sparked a manhunt in the northern suburb.

 

Rachel Schneider, of the French primary school teachers' union SNUipp, said many teachers had been alarmed by the threat.

 

"We have received many calls from colleagues, who are very worried," she said.

 

"They don't necessarily think there will be an organised attack, but they fear this message of murderous madness will inspire unstable people to action."

 

Meanwhile, the mayor of Aubervilliers, Pascal Beaudet said that the teacher's reason why he lied is still unknown. He said that the teacher had 20 years of experience and was appreciated by parents at school.