An Islamic State operative whose attack on a European train was stopped by three young vacationers from California went on trial Monday in France on terrorism charges. During the failed August 2015 attack, Khazzani swaggered bare-chested through a fast train from Amsterdam to Paris with an arsenal of weapons. He shot one passenger before the trio of traveling Americans — Alek Skarlatos, Spencer Stone and Anthony Sadler — tackled and helped subdue him. Khazzani bought a train ticket at the Brussels station Aug. 21, 2015, for a 5:13 p.m. departure. The man considered the likely mastermind of the Paris attacks, Abdel Hamid Abaaoud, was also the behind-the-scenes force in the train attack, which was planned in Syria, according to the prosecution.

Source: Los Angeles Times November 16, 2020 10:53 UTC