EXCLUSIVE - 'He wasn't a Muslim. He was a s***': Truck terrorist Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel's cousin says he was a wife beating drug taker who ate pork... and NEVER went to a mosque
- Truck terrorist who murdered 84 people in a horrific drive along the Nice seafront drank alcohol, ate pork and took drugs - all banned by Islam
- A cousin of his estranged wife said 'he was not a Muslim, he was a s***'
- Revealed he didn't go to the mosque and didn't pray or observe Ramadan
- The couple had separated after reports of domestic abuse two years ago
- Detectives raided the family home in Nice and took his wife into protective custody
By
Nick Fagge In Nice For Mailonline
Published: 14:23 GMT, 15 July 2016 | Updated: 14:32 GMT, 15 July 2016
Truck terrorist Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel was an 'unlikely jihadist' who flouted every rule of Islam, his cousin told MailOnline today.
The 31-year-old - who wreaked terror on the Nice seafront as he turned an evening celebrating Bastille Day into a night of terror in which he murdered 84 innocent people - drank alcohol, ate pork and took drugs.
He never prayed or attended a mosque, and hit his wife - with whom he had three children - and was in the process of getting a divorce.
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Monster: Bouhlel, who shot indiscriminately at police and members of the public, was described by a cousin as a 's***' and a 'nasty piece of work' who never observed the rules of Islam
Ransacked: Bouhlel's rented apartment was turned upside down to try and give the police clues as to why he would have carried out his murderous campaign against so many innocent people
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Kicked in: Bouhlel's home was broken into and examined for clues. He had been known to the French police since January, but was not deemed a terror threat
Murderous: After crushing scores of people with the lorry, Bouhlel then got out and opened fire on the terrified revellers trying to flee
Bouhlel, who had been known to the French police since January, had been on the radar for six months for petty criminality.
It is understood he lost his job as a delivery driver when he fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into four cars and had also been involved in a bar brawl.
He was not a Muslim, he was a s***. 'He beat his wife, my cousin, he was a nasty piece of work.
Walid Hamou, a cousin of Bouhlel's wife Hajer Khalfallah , told MailOnline: 'Bouhlel was not religious. He did not go to the mosque, he did not pray, he did not observe Ramadan.'He drank alcohol, ate pork and took drugs. This is all forbidden under Islam.
'He was not a Muslim, he was a s***.
'He beat his wife, my cousin, he was a nasty piece of work.'
Yesterday, he was stopped by police just hours before he crushed scored of people underneath the wheels of his 25 tonne truck and fired shots indiscriminately at police and innocent bystanders.
He told officers that he was delivering ice-cream to the area and was allowed to park on the waterfront for several hours.
Horrifying footage of the moment the truck turned into a deadly juggernaut were uploaded online within minutes, showing a trail of dead bodies left in its path.
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Target: French police raided a apartment Bouhlel was renting close to his estranged wife and ransacked the property, looking for clues
Not a Muslim: Walid Hamou, a cousin of Bouhlel's wife Hajer, told MailOnline: 'Bouhlel was not religious. He did not go to the mosque, he did not pray, he did not observe Ramadan'
Thief: Bouhlel was already known by police following accusations of domestic violence and theft, and was arrested following a pub brawl on January 27
Bouhlel's wife was taken into protective custody by police this morning.
Detectives had raided the 12th floor apartment she had shared with her estranged husband in the early hours of the morning and another rented property nearby.
More disturbing facts emerged about Bouhlel's frame of mind in the hours leading to his murderous rampage on the Promenade des Anglais.
Wissam, a Tunisian neighbour from the same village as the driver claimed: ‘On the Thursday night he was drinking with a colleague and they argued. His pal said you’re worth nothing and he replied: ‘One day, you’ll hear about me.’
Speaking to L’Express he said: Look this is someone who drinks, smokes cannabis.'
Hannan, who lived on the floor below, said: “He always looked at me oddly. He stared at us and we avoided him.’
Another neighbour described him as shifty and unwillingly to make contact.
Also, it now seems that the guns found in the van were fake and the grenade inoperable.
‘Why?’ said Wissam. ‘What was the point of that?'
Booze and parties: Neighbour Nassim, 33, told MailOnline: 'Bouhlel used to live in this block of flats with his wife and family. He was not a fanatical muslim. He drank alcohol, he chased girls, he went to nightclubs'
Focus: Officers pored over every inch of the 12th floor apartment Bouhlel lived in with his wife Hajer and the rented apartment nearby which he moved into when they separated
Fired: The father-of-three worked as a delivery driver, but is believed to have been fired recently after falling asleep at the wheel and crashing into four vehicles on a highway