French Police at Toulouse Siege
French Police at Toulouse SiegeReuters

The father of the terrorist who murdered four Jews in Toulouse last week said on Monday he planned to sue France over his son’s death.

Mohammad Merah's father also told AFP his son will be buried in his ancestral homeland Algeria.

“I have decided to bury my son in Algeria,” the father, Mohamed Benalel Merah, said. “Mohammad has an Algerian passport and has been listed with the [Algerian] consulate in Toulouse since his birth.”

The father also hit out against France for having shot his son instead of taking him alive at the end of a 32-hour siege at his apartment in Toulouse.

“France is a big country that had the means to take my son alive,” Merah told AFP. “They could have knocked him out with gas and taken him in. They preferred to kill him.”

He added, “I will hire the biggest named lawyers and work for the rest of my life to pay (their) costs. I will sue France for killing my son.”

The father’s claims came on the same day French authorities formally launched an investigation into the brother of the Toulouse terrorist, believing he may have been an accessory to the murders.

Abdelkader Merah, the murderer's older brother, is suspected of assisting Mohammed in preparing his attacks. The 29-year-old Abdelkader Merah, has allegedly told police that he is “very proud” of his brother for murdering his victims. “I regret nothing for him and approve of what he did,” Abdelkader reportedly told investigators.

Earlier on Monday, intelligence officials confirmed reports that Merah spent time in Israel over a year and a half ago.

According to the Shin Bet, Merah entered Israel via the Allenby Bridge from Jordan in September 2010. He was investigated by the Shin Bet – who did not unearth any suspicious information – and he was allowed to enter the country.