For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails
The teenager wrongly named as a third suspect for the Charlie Hebdo massacre has spoken of his shock at being linked to the attack despite being at school all day.
Hamyd Mourad, who is the brother-in-law of gunman Chérif Kouachi, handed himself into custody after being named by police on Wednesday as friends took to Twitter to protest his innocence.
He was released on Friday evening without charge, hours after Chérif and his brother Said Kouachi and their accomplice Amedy Coulibaly were shot dead in separate raids by police.
Speaking to AFP, Mr Mourad described himself as a normal 18-year-old who lives with his parents, saying he had “nothing to do with this whole thing” and hopes it will not affect his future.
He was named as a suspect following the Charlie Hebdo massacre carried out by Said and Cherif Kouachi (pictured) He described his relationship with Chérif as “fairly distant”. The al-Qaeda-affiliated gunman was married to his sister, who was also taken into custody on Wednesday and released on Saturday.
“I was stunned, completely overwhelmed by the events,” the student told AFP in the presence of his lawyer and family members.
“I'm in shock, people said horrible and false things about me on social media even though I am a normal student who lives quietly with his parents."
Show all 39 1 /39In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Pencils, representing the freedom of expression, placed in tribute in Nantes
Reuters
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack France's Jason Lamy Chappuis soars through the air over a message that reads "Je suis Charlie"
Getty
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Solidarity in Nice
AP
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Turkish citizens organised a vigil in front of the French consulate in Istanbul
AFP
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Graffiti decorates a London wall in solidarity with the victims of the attack in Paris
AFP
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack A tribute of flowers and candles outside the French Embassy in Prague, Czech Republic
AP
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Messages of sympathy near the Charlie Hebdo office in Paris
AFP
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Workers install a poster reading 'Je suis Charlie' (I am Charlie) on the Palais des Festivals facade in Cannes
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack A woman looks at floral tributes left outside the Charlie Hebdo magazine offices in Paris
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack A woman places flowers near the offices of French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Journalists of international press agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) hold signs reading "Je suis Charlie" (I am Charlie) at their headquarters in Paris as they observe a minute of silence for the victims of an attack by armed gunmen on the offices of French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris which left at least 12 dead and many others injured
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Pens and pencils are placed in the form of a peace sign over the names of late French cartoonists Cabu, Tignous, Wolinski and late Charlie Hebdo editor Charb on the Place de la Republique (Republic Square) in Paris
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Australia mourns victims of the Paris massacre at Federation Square in Melbourne
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Indian artist Sudarsan Pattnaik is pictured with his sand sculpture, in tribute of those who lost their lives in the attack by gunmen on French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo in Paris that killed 12 people, at Golden Sea Beach in Puri, some 65 kilometers from Bhubaneswar
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack A man holds a placard that reads "I am Charlie" as members of the European Parliament and citizens gather during a minute of silence for victims of the shooting at the Paris offices of weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo, in front of the EU Parliament in Brussels
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack A painting of the 'Marianne', the national symbol of the French Republic is placed between candles to commemorate the victims killed in an attack at the Paris offices of the weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo, in front of the French Embassy in Berlin
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Pencils and flowers of condolance are placed at the French embassy at Pariser Platz in Berlin
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Mourners hold signs depicting victim's eyes during a rally in support of Charlie Hebdo, a French satirical weekly newspaper that fell victim to an terrorist attack, at Union Square in New York
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack People hold up placards reading 'I am Charlie' during a gathering in Nice
Getty Images
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack A man lights candles set near the portrait of three of the four cartoonists killed, in Paris
Getty Images
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack A man holds the French national flag tied a black ribbon as he and others gather in Lyon to pay their respects
Getty Images
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Parisians gather to pay respect for the victims of a terror attack against 'Charlie Hebdo'
Getty Images
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack People gather in front of the 'Club de la presse' in Montpellier, to show their solidarity for the victims of the attack by unknown gunmen on the offices of the satirical weekly, 'Charlie Hebdo'
Getty Images
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack A drawing depicting cartoonist Jean Cabut, left, Charlie Hebdo editor Stephane Charbonnier, center, and cartoonist Georges Wolinski, is placed outside the French Embassy in Berlin, Germany. The message reads 'Victims of their success, R.I.P.'
AP
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack A woman lays a candle during a gathering at the Place de la Republique in Paris
Getty Images
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack People take part in a vigil in Trafalgar Square, London, following the deadly terror attack on French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris
PA
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack People light candles forming the name Charlie during a gathering in Strasbourg, eastern France
Getty Images
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack People stand stand in Marseille, southern France, next to a portrait of French cartoonist Georges Wolinksi, killed during an attack by unknown gunmen on the offices of the satirical weekly, 'Charlie Hebdo'
Getty Images
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack People hold placards reading in French 'I am Charlie' during a gathering at the Place de la Republique in Paris
Getty Images
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack A man holds a placard reading 'With all our heart with Charlie Hebdo, Freedom of the press: Our freedom' during a gathering in Marseille, southern France
Getty Images
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack The French and European union flags fly at half-mast at the French Embassy in Washington, DC
Getty Images
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack People gather at the Place Royale in Nantes to show their solidarity for the victims of the attack in Paris
Getty Images
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Flowers, candles and a sign reading 'I am Charlie' are placed against a wall during a demonstration in Paris
AP
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Journalism students hold a banner reading in French: 'Journalism students : Solidarity' as they raise pens during a gathering at the Place de la Republique in Paris
Getty Images
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack People gather for a rally in solidarity with the killed Charlie Hebdo employees, in Geneva, Switzerland
EPA
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack A man holds a placard reading: 'Freedom of the press is priceless, fundamentalism, of any kind, will not pass' as others hold up placards reading in French, 'I am Charlie' during a gathering at the Place de la Republique in Paris
Getty Images
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Journalists raise their press cards as others hold up pens during a gathering at the Place de la Republique, following the terrorist attack on the offices of the satirical weekly, 'Charlie Hebdo'
Getty Images
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack People hold candles at a rally in support of the victims of Wednesday's terrorist attack, at the Place de la Republique in Paris
Getty Images
In pictures: Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack Reaction to Charlie Hebdo attack People gather in front of the city hall of Rennes, western France, following the attack in Paris
Getty Images
Police released his name as the Kourachi brothers went on the run after massacring 12 people at the offices of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday.
It was unclear how he was linked to the attack, with some reports suggesting he could have been a getaway driver, but classmates quickly took to Twitter to confirm Mr Mourad was in school all day, using the hashtag #MouradHamydInnocent.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies