French judicial police have placed European Parliament member Rima Hassan in custody in Paris, as part of an investigation into alleged praise of terrorism, after synthetic drugs were reportedly found in her possession.
Hassan, a member of La France Insoumise, had been summoned for questioning over social media posts suspected of endorsing terrorist acts, according to French daily Le Parisien.
She was taken into custody immediately after appearing before investigators, in what is seen as a standard procedure in terrorism-related cases, which are treated with heightened scrutiny under French law.
However, the case took an unexpected turn when officers reportedly discovered a small quantity of synthetic drugs in the bag she had brought with her.
The find has expanded the scope of the investigation, with Hassan now also facing potential charges related to drug possession and transportation.
Sources cited by Le Parisien said the amount seized was only a few grams, though authorities have not disclosed the exact substance or its composition.
The development is likely to complicate the legal situation of the MEP, who now faces parallel lines of inquiry—one linked to terrorism-related offences and another to narcotics.
The investigation stems in part from a tweet Hassan posted in late March, in which she referred to Kōzō Okamoto, a former member of the Japanese Red Army.
Okamoto was involved in the 1972 attack on Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, which killed 26 people, and remains a figure associated with international terrorism.
Authorities reportedly viewed the reference as potentially problematic in context, prompting an inquiry led by France’s unit tasked with tackling online hate.
Hassan later deleted the tweet after being summoned, though this did not halt the legal process.
She has previously faced similar accusations, including a complaint filed in December 2024 over statements referencing what she described as “Palestinian armed resistance,” which she argued was legitimate under international law.
Hassan has rejected the accusations, saying previous complaints were politically motivated and aimed at targeting her positions.
