Following the fatal knife attack by an Islamist at a school, France has raised the highest terror alert level. In the current situation and after the terrorist attack in Arras, Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne announced on Friday evening that she had decided to impose the highest warning level ’emergency attack’. The attack killed a teacher and seriously injured two other people.
The emergency attack level can be set immediately after an attack or when an identified and unlocalized terrorist group becomes active. The highest alert level is set for a limited period – during the crisis management period. In particular, it allows the extraordinary mobilization of resources, but also the dissemination of information that can protect citizens in a crisis situation, the French government announced.
Stormed into the school with a knife
A man armed with a knife killed a teacher at a school in Arras, northern France, in an attack believed to be motivated by terrorists. Two people – another teacher and a supervisor – were seriously injured in the attack, police sources said on Friday. French President Emmanuel Macron spoke of ‘barbaric Islamist terrorism’. The teacher probably saved many lives through his efforts.
Macron traveled to Arras as a result of the bloody crime. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin and Education Minister Gabriel Attal were also expected there. Attal called for strengthening school security. Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne canceled a visit to Orléans and returned to Paris. The French National Assembly has suspended its session over the knife attack.
“Allahu akbar” shouted
According to media reports, the suspect shouted “Allahu akbar” (“God is great”). No students were injured in the attack. The French counter-terrorism prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation. The suspected attacker is said to have been included on a list of people considered a security risk in connection with radical Islamism.
Contrary to what was initially claimed in the media, the suspect was not a teacher, but a former student. Both the suspected perpetrator – a 20-year-old with Chechen roots – and his 17-year-old brother have been arrested, according to the police. The investigation concerns murder and attempted murder in connection with terrorism.
“Staff attacked in canteen”
In the afternoon, students and teaching staff were still in the school building, which had been closed by the police. “He attacked the staff in the canteen. I wanted to intervene, but he turned on me and wanted to know if I was a history and geography teacher,” says teacher Martin Dousseau, who teaches philosophy. “We barricaded ourselves and then the police came,” he said.
In videos shared online, a young man with a gun in his hand is seen fighting with several other adults in the schoolyard. The police called on people not to distribute images of the crime out of respect for the relatives.
The exact background is still unclear
The exact background of the crime was initially unclear. In France, they evoke memories of the murder of teacher Samuel Paty, who was the victim of a jihadist-motivated attack almost exactly three years ago, on October 16, 2020. The perpetrator also had Chechen roots.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
