A tragic incident unfolded near the Eiffel Tower in central Paris, resulting in the death of one person and injuries to two others, as confirmed by Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin on Saturday.
A 26-year-old French national, who had previously been sentenced to four years in prison in 2016 for planning another attack, was apprehended by the police using a Taser stun gun, according to Darmanin's statement to reporters. The suspect was already on the watch list of French security services and was known to have psychiatric disorders.
The attack occurred around 1900 GMT when the assailant targeted a tourist couple with a knife on the Quai de Grenelle, a short distance from the Eiffel Tower. The incident resulted in injuries to a German national. Subsequently, the assailant, pursued by the police, attacked two more people with a hammer before being arrested.
During the attack, the suspect shouted "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest) and informed the police that he was distressed by the high number of Muslim casualties in Afghanistan and Palestine, expressing particular concern about the situation in Gaza, according to Darmanin.
The anti-terrorism prosecutor's office has taken charge of the investigation into the incident.
The occurrence of this incident less than eight months before the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris raises questions about security preparedness for the global sporting event. Paris has planned an unprecedented opening ceremony on the Seine River, which is expected to attract a significant audience, potentially reaching up to 600,000 spectators. The incident underscores the ongoing challenges related to security concerns in major urban centers.
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