Laurence Dollimore
AN Algerian Muslim who was shot dead yesterday while ‘trying to stab’ police near Barcelona was trying to get himself killed, his wife has claimed.
Abdelouahab Taib, 29, had allegedly come out as gay and wanted to commit suicide because he ‘felt shame’.
The young man stormed a police station wielding a knife yesterday and shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ before being shot dead.
His Spanish wife said in her police statement that he told her two months ago he was gay, a source close to the investigation said.
“She said she had left him, that he had revealed his homosexuality and that he was disturbed about how that fit in with the Muslim religion,” the source added.
“We’re putting this down to confusion, a suicide attempt. There are some who do it throwing themselves off a bridge, he opted for this method.
“We’re basing ourselves on his wife’s testimony, who says he had not veered towards extremism.”
Neither the interior ministry nor the police have commented on the reports.
