Toulouse shooter’s family ready to file against French police

The Algerian lawyer hired by the family of the shooter who killed seven people in France in March said Monday she would launch proceedings next week against the elite police unit that killed him.

“I am ready to travel to France Thursday or Saturday to start the complaint procedure against the RAID (elite unit) next Monday,” Zahia Mokhtari told AFP.

Mohamed Merah, a self-confessed al-Qaeda follower, was killed in a police siege in Toulouse after shooting dead seven people, including three Jewish children, in a spree that shocked France.

His family in Algeria says the French forces did not do enough to attempt to take him alive and Mokhtari claims she has video evidence.

She said she would be assisted in the French court procedure by Isabelle Coutant-Peyre, who is the lawyer of Illich Ramirez Sanchez -- best known as Carlos the Jackal -- and even married the Venezuelan revolutionary in 2001.

“Isabelle Coutant-Peyre will help me with the complaint procedure because of her knowledge of the French justice system,” the Algerian lawyer said.