Eleven people were injured in eastern France tonight after a known psychiatric patient drove into pedestrians while allegedly shouting Islamic slogans.
Two of those hit by the driver, who was believed to be drunk, were in a ‘very serious’ condition in the city of Dijon, in the east of the country.
"He ran over as many people as he could in a Renault Clio, and many are suffering with very serious head injuries," said a police source at the scene.
Pictures showed the injured lying in the road around Place Wilson (Wilson Square), as emergency vehicles arrived to take them to local hospitals.
The 40-year-old was known to police, and may have carried out a copycat attack based on terrorist related incidents in his home country, and in Australia.
Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet confirmed that the man was a ‘psychiatric patient’ and used expressions including ‘Allahu Akbar’, or ‘God is Great’.
He was also heard to say ‘For the Children of Palestine’, referring to deaths of more than 500 youngsters during the Israeli military campaign in the Gaza Strip over the summer.
"According to our information he was acting alone," said Mr Brandet. "He was arrested in the centre of the city, and was immediately placed in custody."
He said the man, who has not yet been identified, ‘may face terrorist charges, but that will be a decision for the justice system.’
The driver was thought to be heading for a police station in Dijon, but only got as far as surrounding streets before his car was stopped.
It follows security being stepped up at police and fire stations across France after a knife-wielding French convert to Islam was shot dead after attacking three police officers on Saturday.
Bertrand Nzohabonayo was himself shot dead after entering a police station in the central town of Joue-les-Tours armed with a knife, seriously wounding two officers, including slashing one in the face.
Nzohabonayo, who had posted an IS (Islamic State) flag on his Facebook account, was a French national born in Burundi in 1994.
He was also heard shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ during the assault, as local prosecutor Jean-Luc Beck said investigators would seek to determine whether ‘he acted alone or if he acted on orders.’
Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve visited the scene of the attack on Saturday, saying he had ordered ‘security measures to be stepped up’ for all officers.
Nzohabonayo had previously committed petty criminal offences but was not on a domestic intelligence watch-list. His brother was being watched, however, and had considered going to fight in Syria.
Governments around the world have been braced for further ‘lone wolf’ attacks by individuals who show their support for IS, which now controls huge parts of Syria and Iraq.
Last week in Sydney, Australia, Man Haron Monis , an Iranian-born Islamist with a history of extremism and violence entered a cafe and held people hostage for 16 hours.
Three people, including the attacker, died in an assault by special forces. The main suspect in the murders of four people at Brussels’ Jewish Museum in May, is Mehdi Nemmouche, a Frenchman who spent more than a year fighting with extremists in Syria.
Authorities in France believe around 1,200 French nationals are involved in jihadist networks in Iraq and Syria.
Source: Mirror
No comments:
Post a Comment