In central Paris, near the iconic Eiffel Tower, a disturbing incident unfolded as a man attacked tourists, leading to one fatality and two individuals sustaining injuries. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin provided details, stating that the 26-year-old assailant, a French national previously convicted for planning another attack, was swiftly apprehended by police using a Taser stun gun.
The suspect, already on the French security watch list and known for psychiatric disorders, carried out the attack around 1900 GMT. His victims included a German tourist fatally wounded with a knife. The assailant, shouting “Allahu Akbar,” expressed discontent with global conflicts, particularly citing concerns about Muslim casualties in Afghanistan and Palestine, as well as the situation in Gaza.
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The police pursuit continued as the attacker, wielding a hammer, targeted two more individuals before being successfully arrested. The anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office has taken charge of the investigation, emphasizing the potential severity of the incident.
The timing of the assault, occurring less than eight months before Paris hosts the Olympic Games, raises pertinent questions about security measures for the upcoming global sporting event. The city’s plans for an unprecedented opening ceremony on the Seine River, expected to draw a considerable crowd of up to 600,000 spectators, now face heightened scrutiny in the context of this unsettling incident.
