Three French soldiers standing guard outside a Jewish community centre in the southern French resort of Nice have been attacked by a man armed with
Three French soldiers standing guard outside a Jewish community centre in the southern French resort of Nice have been attacked by a man armed with two knives.
Two of the soldiers were slightly hurt, one on the arm and the other in the face, and the attacker was wrestled to the ground by two tramway workers and a passing civilian. The justice ministry is treating the incident as a terrorist attack.
However later details indicate the attacker, only named as Moussa by the authorities, had just got off a tram where he had been stopped and fined for riding without a ticket, and apparently approached the soldiers before drawing one long-bladed edged weapon.
Christian Estrosi, the mayor of Nice told France Inter radio: “He paid his fine, but refused to show his identity papers. He got out suddenly near the soldiers and with a sharp knife struck the cheek of one and arm of another.”
UPDATE: French police cordon off area of the attack in Nice, attacker arrested, 2 other suspects fled scene #France" pic.twitter.com/jQ8vzsvmC5
— Hasan Sari (@HasanSari7) February 3, 2015