THIS EMAIL FROM A READER suggests that French media coverage of the sniper is, well, somewhat deeper than what we’re getting here:

In regards to missing French Marksman and DIANE E. contributions on him, I saw the piece on French news here as well with the composite which struck me as strange given, as far as I know, France is the only country which has released one in the media. The missing marksman was not mentioned in the piece but the composite was shown as part of coverage on DC shootings, presumably triggering response from St Cyr students. Been tracking the marksman story via French press. Learned today that the last known trace of the missing marksman was some cash withdrawals from an ATM in US in August.

Supposedly he is an avid trekker and mountaineer per news reports here.

Interesting. My Brother-out-law (he’s not a brother-in– law because he never actually married my wife’s sister (would he actually be a brother-in-law even then? by Southern standards, anyway)) also reports from Paris that the media coverage is fast and furious and that the French media are “loving” the story.

UPDATE: This report says that St. Cyr denies the story that students recognized the composite.