French Teen Arrested in First Misogyny-Linked Terrorism Case
French prosecutors have charged an 18-year-old man with terrorism over allegations that he planned to attack women, marking the country’s first case linking the incel movement to terrorism. The suspect, identified as Timothy G., was arrested near a high school in Saint-Etienne with two knives, reportedly intending to target women and identifying with incel ideology.
The incel movement, also known as ‘involuntary celibate,’ is an online subculture known for its misogynistic beliefs and has been linked to various violent incidents in multiple countries. The National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) is handling the case, indicating the authorities are treating gender-based violence as a potential act of terrorism.
Timothy G. is the first individual to be charged in a case exclusively focused on the incel ideology. Previously, the movement surfaced in two other terrorism-related investigations in France, with one involving a man from the northern part of the country who was charged in 2023 for planning violence. He was described by sources as ‘an unstable, frustrated young adult rather than an ideologue.’ Another case involved four young men, two of whom praised Hitler and Nazism, while one planned to travel to Syria. Three also communicated with a woman who reportedly wanted to bomb a church.
Several of the individuals involved in these investigations expressed admiration for proponents of the ‘Great Replacement’ theory and mass attackers such as Anders Breivik, Brenton Tarrant, and Dylan Klebold. According to investigators, Timothy G. also expressed interest in some of these cases.
The growing influence of toxic online communities on young men has drawn wider attention in France. The Netflix documentary series ‘Adolescence,’ which aired this spring to critical acclaim, examined the impact of misogynistic content circulating on the internet. One of the central figures among these communities is online influencer Andrew Tate, who has nearly 11 million followers on X and faces rape charges.