Here we go again. A man in France attacked three policemen with a knife. He was an Islamic convert, shouted “Allahu akbar!” during the attack, and had posted a picture of the flag of the so-called “Islamic State” on Facebook. And yet…

Monday, the left-leaning newspaper, Libération, carried the following headline: JOUÉ-LÈS-TOURS: “THIS AFFAIR HAS NOTHING RELIGIOUS ABOUT IT.” The story went on to say that those close to Nzohabonayo do not believe his motive was terrorism. According to the newspaper’s special correspondent, there is a rumour in the suburb that Nzoahabonayo did not go to the police station of his own accord with a plan of attack, but was taken there under arrest by the police, where he defended himself with his knife. And two people interviewed by the correspondent, called Samir and Nourdine, wondered why the fourth policeman had killed him rather than merely shoot him in the legs. For them, that was the most burning question about the affair.