Intelligence officials on Monday confirmed reports that Toulouse mass murderer Mohammad Merah spent time in Israel over a year and a half ago.

According to the Shin Bet, Merah entered Israel via the Allenby Bridge from Jordan in September 2010. He was investigated by the Shin Bet – who did not unearth any suspicious information – and he was allowed to enter the country.

However, Shin Bet officials declined to confirm claims by French intelligence that Merah was arrested in Israel with a knife.

Merah stayed in Israel for a total of three days – visiting Arab towns in Judea and Samaria – during which it is unknown whether he was involved in any terror-related activity, they said.

Merah visited Israel before his stay in Afghanistan or Pakistan, which was why he was placed on French and American terror watch lists.

The revelation comes a day after a French judge placed Merah’s brother under formal investigation. Abdelkader Merah was remanded for the duration of an inquiry into suspected complicity in a spate of fatal shootings.

Mohamed Merah was shot dead by a police sniper last Thursday as he leapt from a window firing a pistol and oncoming police special forces who were raiding his apartment in the southern city of Toulouse to end a 32-hour standoff.

He earlier told police negotiators he had carried out the three shootings in Toulouse and its surrounding area – killing three French paratroopers and four local Jews, including three children – to “avenge the deaths of Palestinian children” and protest against the French army´s role in Afghanistan.

He said his only regret was that he did not have time to carry out more murders. (IsraelNationalNews © 2012 03/26/12)