An 18-year-old man suspected of planning attacks against women has been charged by France’s anti-terrorism prosecutors in the country’s first case to be exclusively linked to the “incel” movement.
The suspect, identified as Timothy G., was arrested near a high school in the Saint-Étienne region carrying two knives in his bag. Sources close to the case told the French press agency AFP that he intended to target women and openly identified with the “incel” ideology.
“Incel” is an English acronym for “involuntary celibates” — men who believe they are rejected by women and harbour resentment towards them and feminism, which they blame for their personal failures.
The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) confirmed on Tuesday that an investigation has been opened against the 18-year-old, who self-identifies with the incel movement.
Timothy G. has been charged with terrorist criminal conspiracy with intent to commit one or more violent crimes against persons and has been remanded in custody, the PNAT said.
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Described as youthful and shy, with a nearly clean-shaven face and slender build, Timothy G. appeared before a judge on Tuesday evening and was detained, AFP journalists reported.
'Not a militant'
His lawyer, Maria Snitsar, told AFP: “I met a suffering adolescent, not a militant preparing for action. The investigation will put this case into its proper perspective regarding the charges and the personality of the accused.”
Sources indicate that Timothy, who aspired to be an engineer, had consumed misogynistic videos online, particularly on TikTok.
This is the first time the PNAT has handled a case solely involving the incel movement, which had previously appeared marginally in two other terrorism-related cases.
One involved a young man from northern France linked to the far right, charged in September 2023 with plans for violent acts. He was described by sources as “an unstable, frustrated young adult rather than an ideologue.”
Another case involved four young men, one planning to travel to Syria, two glorifying Hitler and Nazism, and three communicating with a woman who dreamed of bombing a church.
Two admired “great replacement” conspiracy theories and mass killers associated with the far right, including Anders Breivik, Brenton Tarrant, and Dylan Klebold. Timothy G. had also shown interest in some of these incidents.
The Netflix series “Adolescence,” which aired this spring to wide acclaim, highlighted the toxic and misogynistic influences young men encounter online. Among prominent figures in these online circles is the male influencer Andrew Tate, who has nearly 11 million followers on X and faces rape allegations.
The incel movement has been claimed by several mass killers, and attacks targeting women motivated by this ideology have occurred before. Notably, in 1989, a 25-year-old self-declared antifeminist opened fire at Montreal’s École Polytechnique, killing 13 female students and a secretary before taking his own life — one of Canada’s deadliest mass shootings.
(With newswires)
