Paris knife attacker's father applauds son; says he did 'a great job'

Zaheer Hassan Mehmood, a 25-year-old-man from Pakistan, has been charged with "attempted murder with relation to a terrorist enterprise". However, for his father in Pakistan, he did a "great job".

The father of the knife attacker recently gave an interview to a local news channel in Pakistan, and when asked about his reaction to his son's deed, the father said he is "very proud".

Applauding his son's actions, he said as a Muslim, Zaheer should have avenged the "blasphemy" that was committed by the Charlie Hebdo magazine.

Also read: Paris attacker charged with 'attempted terrorist killings'

“Hassan did not mention to us anything about what he was thinking and planning,” Arshad Mahmood said. “He has done what every Muslim should have done — avenge blasphemy.”

When the reporter asked him if he think he son taking the law in his own hands was a justified action, he slammed back at the reporter saying "Are you a Muslim? I mean are you a Sunni Muslim? If you are, then you should not be asking this question."

He even claims that his son Zaheer Hassan had told his friend that the "prophet has chosen [him] to kill these blasphemers."

Also read: Paris attacker wanted to set Charlie Hebdo offices on fire, prosecutor says

It is not just Zaheer who has been detained, but also his 16-year-old brother who was also in Paris. "Hassan went to France a few years back, while my other son went there recently. I request the government to make efforts for the repatriation of Hassan, as he has done nothing wrong," Mehmood said. 

While he is trying to bring back his younger son, he still claims to be proud of his older son and says "My son has the heart of a lion."