Nantes Cathedral Fire Solved

A 39-year-old Rwandan refugee has been charged with setting last week's fire in the cathedral of Nantes, in France. The man, who is identified only as Emmanuel M. from Rwanda and a Catholic, was arrested on July 25 and has confessed to the crime. He had originally been held for questioning after the fire was set but released. Now police apparently have surveillance video showing him leaving the church after the fire broke out.

The below Paris Match article is translated by Fousesquawk.

https://www.parismatch.com/Actu/Societe/Incendie-de-la-cathedrale-de-Nantes-le-suspect-soulage-apeure-et-depasse-1695793

Nantes Cathedral Fire: Suspect "relieved", "scared" and "overwhelmed"
Paris Match July 26, 2020

The man suspected of being at the source of the Nantes cathedral fire is "relieved", "scared" and "overwhelmed" his lawyer, Quentin Chabert, told the press Sunday.


The man suspected of being at the source of the Nantes cathedral fire is "relieved", "scared" and "overwhelmed", his lawyer, Quentin Chabert, told the press Sunday who hopes "that justice can now do its work".  "There is a sort of relief, this is someone who is afraid, he is in a way overwhelmed," declared Mr Chabert to the press. The suspect, a 39-year-old volunteer at the diocese, confessed on Saturday. Appearing before a judge, he was charged and placed in provisional detention for "destruction and defacement by fire."

"Of course, it is a relief  to show repentance, as he would say. For the believer that he is, it is important that he was able to show this strength and this despite procedural elements that could pose the question, especially at the beginning of custody, is something that is notable on his side," the lawyer noted. The suspect's counsel indicated that his client was now "going on a journey". "It is now the time for judicial investigation. From this point, it is an independent magistrate, an examining  judge, who will continue to investigate. Other investigative actions will take place to clarify the situation, and bring further details to later allow justice to be able to do its work," his counsel continued.

According to the lawyer, his client  "is cooperative". "It is also time to move on to a cooling off period, that is what he wishes from his side," Mr Chabert indicated. The lawyer, however, refused to comment on the administrative situation of his client. "We gloss over elements that nobody really masters. There is a certain complexity in this situation," Mr Chabert insisted calling (on people) to be "extremely vigilant" because this "leads to commentary on social networks" and the "angersphere". The suspect, an altar servant, in charge of security of the cathedral, is a Rwandan who came to take refuge in France a few years ago, the rector of the cathedral of Nantes, Father Hubert Champenois, indicated to AFP (Agence France Presse).  Placed in provisional detention, he has admitted during the examination of his first appearance before the examining judge, to have set the three fires in the cathedral," the public prosecutor, Pierre  Sennès stated to Ocean Press daily.