Thalys shooter premeditates train attack: Paris prosecutor

Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins on Tuesday said the gunman in the shooting at Thalys high-speed train that left three passengers wounded premeditated his attack, rebuffing his fanciful assertion of armed robbery.

Put in custody for 96 hours, the gunman, identified as Ayoub el-Khazani, appeared before a judge on Tuesday and an investigation had been opened to the Moroccan young man for attempted murder with terrorist intent, Molins said.

"Investigations will aim in particular to determine the origin of the seized weapons, the course of Ayoub el-Khazani and links that could have, and his sources of financing," he elaborated.

The attempted attack appears to have been "targeted and premeditated" as the 25-year-old suspect refused to catch the earlier train where seats were still available, the prosecutor added.

"Ayoub el-Khazzani had watched YouTube audio files whilst already on the Thalys train in which an individual called on the faithful to fight and take up arms in the name of the Prophet," Molins told reporters.

Khazzani injured three passengers before being overpowered by three Americans and one British.

He was armed with a Kalashnikov, an automatic pistol and a box cutter. He also carried 270 rifle bullets as well as a 50-centilitre bottle of petrol during the attack.

The suspect, who was arrested when the train stopped at the northern French town of Arras, had been under French police surveillance after Spanish security services identified him as radical Islamist.

He lived in the Paris suburb of Aubervilliers for "five to seven months" in 2014 before traveling to Austria and Germany. He returned to Europe on June 4 on a flight from Antakya in southern Turkey, according to Molins. Endit