A search of his computer also found violent images “linked to radical Islam”, he told a press conference in Paris. France is preparing to pass a law that extends the state of emergency for six months in response to the event that claimed over 80 lives.
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Prosecutors said just 52 victims had been officially identified so far, with painstaking measures being taken to avoid errors of identification seen during the Paris attacks last November.
Mr Molins said, however, that there has been no clear link established between Bouhlel and IS, which has described him as one of its “soldiers”.
Four other people had been taken in for questioning Friday and Saturday.
A man and a woman were arrested Sunday morning, French media reported, and another man later Sunday, according to Agence France-Presse.
Prosecutor Francois Molins said his office, which oversees terrorism investigations, said five suspects now in custody are facing preliminary terrorism charges for their alleged roles in helping driver Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, in a judicial inquiry opened Thursday.
She said Stratton can not speak and does not remember the attack, “which is better”. She declined to discuss the injuries saying that the family wants to protect Stratton’s privacy.
Dr. Raj Persaud, a consultant psychiatrist and professor at London’s Gresham College, said Bouhlel’s path toward violent extremism might have been longer than people around him noticed.
He said: “That last day he said he was in Nice with his European friends to celebrate the national holiday”.
Bunches of flowers and candles left on the Promenade des Anglais, many at the exact spots where people were killed, have swelled in number. Pained and outraged epitaphs have been written in blue maker on stones placed where police shot him dead.
Hollande said “many foreigners and young children” were among those killed or injured.
Numerous videos show the crowd loudly booing Mr Valls, with some shouting insults at the Prime Minister and calling for his resignation. Buildings stood silent across the country.
French prime minister Manuel Valls said IS was encouraging people not on the radar of security services, such as Bouhlel, to carry out attacks.
Investigators are trying to determine whether Bouhlel acted alone.
Bouhlel’s uncle Sadok Bouhlel claims his nephew was indoctrinated about two weeks ago by an Algerian member of IS in Nice.
Many reports have documented that Muslims are more likely to be the victims of terror attacks than non-Muslims.
Bouhlel’s sister has said he was treated for psychological issues for years before leaving Tunisia. Following the attack, Leslie was declared “missing” and an extensive search for the Berkeley student was conducted by university staff, local officials and family. The truck avoids police vehicles blocking access by mounting the kerb, according to Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve.
The French government is defending its efforts to fight Islamic State extremists overseas and at home, announcing new airstrikes against their strongholds in the past two days.
The latest poll came at a moment when, less than a year from a presidential election, political opponents have fast abandoned the initial restraint that usually prevails on such occasions to sharply criticise Hollande and his government.
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There is a debate in France around whether Lahouaiej-Bouhlel’s attack was motivated by Islamist beliefs or mental illness.
