On Saturday (December 2), a man shouting “Allahu Akbar” killed a German tourist and injured two others in a knife attack in central Paris near the Eiffel Tower. The assailant is reported to have said that he was ‘upset’ over the death of Muslims in Afghanistan and Palestine. The name of the attacker has not been revealed.
Taking to X, France’s Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin confirmed the attack and said that the attacker has been arrested by the police.
“The police have just courageously arrested an assailant attacking passers-by in Paris, around the Quai de Grenelle. One deceased person and one injured person were treated by the Paris Fire Brigade. Please avoid the area,” Minister Darmanin posted.
Les policiers viennent d’avoir courageusement interpellé un assaillant s’en prenant à des passants à Paris, autour du quai de Grenelle. Une personne décédée et un blessé pris en charge par les Pompiers de Paris. Merci d’éviter le secteur.
— Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) December 2, 2023
Speaking to the media later, the Minister informed the attack took place at around 7 PM GMT when a man attacked a couple with a knife. The man was then chased by police, he then attacked two other people with a hammer before police arrested the 25-year-old French national, using a Taser stun gun. Darmanin said that the assailant shouted “Allahu Akbar” slogans and told police he was upset because “so many Muslims are dying in Afghanistan and in Palestine”.
https://t.co/S1YFUKjyxu pic.twitter.com/05RQ9OrMBj
— Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) December 2, 2023
The reports say that the anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office has taken charge of the investigation into the attack.
Reacting to the deadly attack, French President Emmanuel Macron offered condolences to the victims of the terrorist attack. “I send all my condolences to the family and loved ones of the German national who died this evening during the terrorist attack in Paris and think of the people currently injured and in care. My most sincere thanks to the emergency forces who made it possible to quickly arrest a suspect. The national anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office will be responsible for shedding light on this matter so that justice can be done in the name of the French people,” President Macron posted on X.
J’adresse toutes mes condoléances à la famille et aux proches du ressortissant allemand décédé ce soir lors de l’attaque terroriste survenue à Paris et pense avec émotion aux personnes actuellement blessées et prises en charge.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) December 3, 2023
Mes plus sincères remerciements aux forces de…
Meanwhile, French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne has expressed solidarity with the victims. “Following this evening’s attack in Paris, my thoughts are with the victim, the injured and their loved ones. I salute the courage and professionalism of our law enforcement and our mobilized emergency services. We will not give in to terrorism. Never,” Borne posted on X.
Suite à l’attaque de ce soir à Paris, mes pensées vont à la victime, aux blessés et à leurs proches.
— Élisabeth BORNE (@Elisabeth_Borne) December 2, 2023
Je salue le courage et le professionnalisme de nos forces de l’ordre et nos services de secours mobilisés.
Nous ne céderons rien face au terrorisme. Jamais.
Reports say that the attacker had spent four years in prison earlier for planning a violent attack. He was released from jail after four years in 2020 and was under surveillance and receiving psychiatric therapy. The assailant was born in the Paris suburb of Neuilly-Sur-Seine. He was lately staying in the Essonne region, south of Paris, with his parents.
In October this year, a similar knife attack was reported at a school in Arras, resulting in the loss of a person’s life and causing severe injuries to two others after a terrorist named Mohammed Moguchkov screaming “Allahu Akbar” attacked the victim and inflicted severe blows. The fatal knife attack took place on ‘Global Day of Jihad’ which was called by Hamas terrorists on the first Friday since the 7th October terror attack on Israel.
