The man, suspected of killing three people at and next to a church in Nice in southern France on Thursday, is a 21-year-old Tunisian who arrived in Europe a few weeks ago, sources close to the investigation said.
The murder of three people at a church in Nice in southern France on Thursday was an “Islamist terrorist attack,” French President Emanuel Macron said, while promising that France would “not give up its values.”
Macron expressed his condolences to the country’s Catholics and urged people of all religions to be united and not to succumb to the “spirit of division”.
The number of troops to be deployed in domestic counter-terrorism activities will double to 7,000, the president said.
“In this way, we will ensure that all places of worship, especially churches, are protected, so that the Feast of All Saints’ Day [1.novembrī] can take place under proper conditions, “Macrons said, speaking to officials and police.
The president promised “all state support for Catholics in France and everywhere else.”
“And very clearly, it is France that is being attacked,” the president said, recalling the arrests that had taken place during the day and the attack on the guard of the French consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The man, suspected of killing three people at and next to a church in Nice on Thursday, is a 21-year-old Tunisian who arrived in Europe a few weeks ago, sources close to the investigation said.
At the end of September, Brahim Ausaui arrived on the Italian island of Lampedusa, where he had to comply with a virus quarantine regime, until he was released by the authorities with an order to leave Italian territory.
He arrived in France in early October, sources said.
It has already been reported that a man armed with a knife killed three people inside and outside the Cathedral of Our Lady in Nice on Thursday. One victim had his throat cut.
Police have shot the killer, but he is alive and taken to hospital, the mayor of Nice said.
French Prime Minister Jean-Claude Coxes said the attack was as cowardly as barbaric and said he had decided to raise the threat in the so-called “Vigipirate” terrorist alert system to the highest level.
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