One dead many injured in the ‘Islamist’ knife attack in France

The suspect that pushes the knife, later identified by prosecutors as a man born in Algerina, 37, was arrested at the Saturday attack site in the eastern city of Mulhouse.

Local prosecutor Nicolas Heitz said the suspect, whom he did not appoint, was registered in the terrorist surveillance list of France.

Speaking at the police station, Interior Minister Bruno Retilleau said that the man had “an schizophrenic profile” and his act had “a psychiatric dimension.”

Retailleau said that France had repeatedly tried to expel him from the country, but Algeria refused to cooperate.

The uproar occurred around 4 PM (1500 GMT) near a market occupied in Mulhouse, a city of around 110,000 people near the German border. At that time, the protesters gathered in support of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

A 69 -year -old Portuguese man was fatally injured, while parking attendees and the police were also injured.

Two officers were seriously injured, and one suffered an injury in a carotid artery, and the other to the upper body, said prosecutor Heitz to the AFP, added that the latter officer could leave the hospital.

Three other officers suffered minor injuries, prosecutors said.

During the attack, the suspect was heard “Allahu Akbar” (God is bigger), according to the National Unit of Anti-terror prosecutors (PNAT).

Witnesses also told AFP that he heard the suspect shout the words several times.

Later, President Macron said there was no “doubt” that the incident was “a terrorist act”, specifically “an Islamist terrorist act.”

The government was determined to continue doing “everything to eradicate terrorism in our soil,” he added.

Speaking during a visit to the French Agriculture Fair, Macron offered condolences to the victim’s family and said that the “solidarity of the nation” was behind them.

PNAT said he was investigating the attack for murder and murder attempt “in relation to a terrorist company.”

– Falling expulsions –

The terrorist surveillance list, called FSPRT, compiles data from various authorities in individuals with the aim of preventing “terrorist” radicalization.

It was released in 2015 after mortal attacks against the offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and in a Jewish supermarket.

Interior Minister, Terilleau, told the French station TF1 that France had tried to expel him 10 times, and Algeria refused to accept it every time.

“Once again, it is Islamist terrorism that has hit,” he said. And, once again, he added, migration problems were “at the origin of this terrorist act.”

There were no immediate comments from the Presidency of Algeria or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

When the night fell, several members of the Forensic Police still worked under the brightness of a focus outside the market covered in Mulhouse. The perimeter was protected by military personnel.

Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said that “fanaticism has played again, and we are mourning.”

The mayor of Muhoulse, Michele Lutz, wrote on Facebook that “the horror has just taken our city.”

France has recently experienced a series of stabbing considered acts of horror.

In January, a 32 -year -old man who wielded a knife wounded a person in a supermarket in APT, in southern France. He was accused and imprisoned for attempted murder in relation to a terrorist company.

In December 2023, a suspicious man stabbed a German tourist until death near the Eiffel Tower was accused of carrying out a terrorist attack.