3-12-2023 (PARIS) In a shocking incident on Saturday (December 2), an assailant attacked pedestrians in the heart of Paris, resulting in one fatality and two injuries. Reports suggest that the attacker, before being apprehended, repeatedly shouted “Allahu Akbar.”
According to a compilation of reports from Agence France-Presse (AFP) and Reuters, the attack occurred at around 8 p.m. local time (3 a.m. Singapore time) near the Quai de Grenelle, close to the Eiffel Tower. The knife-wielding assailant targeted a couple of tourists, resulting in the death of a German national. Subsequently, he was pursued by police, wielding a hammer to attack two more individuals before being taken into custody.
Interior Minister Darmanin stated that the assailant shouted “Allahu Akbar” and told the authorities that he felt unsettled due to “so many Muslims dying in Afghanistan and Palestine” and expressed concern about the situation in Gaza.
The Paris Prosecutor’s Office revealed that the attacker is a 26-year-old French national, arrested for murder and attempted murder. Darmanin mentioned that the suspect was on the watchlist of France’s security agencies and had a history of mental health issues. In 2016, he was sentenced to “four years in prison” for planning another attack, arrested by France’s national security agency before carrying out the assault. The French National Counter-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office is now leading the investigation into the incident.
As authorities delve into the motives and circumstances surrounding this disturbing attack, it highlights the challenges faced by European nations in balancing security concerns, mental health issues, and the persistent threat of Islamist extremism.
#BREAKING: Suspected Terrorist attack in Paris with hammer and knife shouting “Allah Akbar”. One dead and two injured. pic.twitter.com/LOm7oAbV5C
— HPN Network???? (@HPNnetwork) December 3, 2023
