[ad_1]
France does not rest: new attacks by suspected Islamists cause deaths and injuries. In Nice, a man stabbed three people. In other places, security forces detained the attackers.
New attacks by suspected Islamists shock France. According to the police, three people were killed in a knife attack in Nice. An Islamist apparently also threatened bystanders near the southern French city of Avignon, and police fired at the man. And at the French consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, a man attacked a security officer. The perpetrator was arrested. The French government declared the highest level of terrorist alert.
Police said three people were killed by a knife in the largest church in the Mediterranean city of Nice. Six others were injured. Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi tweeted that the alleged perpetrator had been arrested. He was injured in detention and taken to hospital.
The man was apparently a lone perpetrator
Based on initial knowledge, the alleged attacker acted alone. According to Estrosi, the act is like a terrorist attack. It “certainly” fits the manner of the murder of history teacher Samuel Paty a few days ago.
The mayor said the attacker shouted “Allahu Akbar” (“God is great”) several times when he was arrested. The man’s gesture left “no doubt”.
Macron expected in Nice
The French antiterrorist prosecutor withdrew the investigation. President Emmanuel Macron wants to visit the crime scene today.
French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said there was an emergency meeting at his ministry. He had warned on several occasions of a high risk of terrorism in the country. Two weeks ago, Professor Paty had been beheaded in a suburb of Paris. In his class on freedom of speech, he had used the controversial cartoons of Muhammad, which some Muslims consider blasphemous. The crime had caused horror throughout the country. Tens of thousands took to the streets to show their solidarity.
Attackers shot dead near Avignon
Europe 1 radio station reported that the attacker near the city of Avignon had also yelled “Allahu Akbar”. The man threatened several people with a weapon in the town of Montfavet, authorities said.
The police shot the man. No further details were initially provided.
Attack on the consulate in Saudi Arabia
A security guard was injured in the attack on the French consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The local perpetrator was arrested, the French embassy in the country said. The security guard had been transferred to the hospital, there was no danger of death.
The embassy asked all the French in Saudi Arabia to be more vigilant. Initially there was no indication of the background to the attack. Paris had already issued warnings for the French in Turkey, Bangladesh and Indonesia. The background to this is the tension between France and many Muslim countries over the publication of cartoons of Muhammad.
With information from Marcel Wagner, ARD-Studio Paris
