Knifeman kills German tourist, wounds others near Eiffel Tower in Paris
- The 26-year-old suspect, a French national arrested after the attack, had pledged allegiance to Islamic State in a video recorded before the assault
- European security officials have warned of a growing risk of attacks by Islamist militants amid the Israel-Gaza war
A man armed with a knife and a hammer killed a German tourist and left two people, including a British man, wounded near the Eiffel Tower in Paris late on Saturday in what President Emmanuel Macron called “a terrorist attack”.
A 26-year-old suspect, a French national arrested after the attack, had pledged allegiance to Islamic State in a video recorded beforehand, anti-terrorism Prosecutor Jean-Francois Ricard said on Sunday.
The suspect had told police he was angry about the situation in Gaza and the fact that “so many Muslims are dying in Afghanistan and in Palestine,” Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said.
The German tourist suffered fatal injuries when he was attacked on the Quai de Grenelle, a few feet from the Eiffel Tower, authorities said.
The attacker was chased by police and assaulted two other people, including the British man, with a hammer, officials added.
European security officials have warned of a growing risk of attacks by Islamist militants amid the Israel-Gaza war, with the biggest threat likely from “lone wolf” assailants who are hard to track.
An investigation was under way into murder and attempted murder in connection with a terrorist organisation, prosecutor Ricard told a news conference. Three other people from the suspect’s family or entourage were in police custody, he added.