A fatal attack in central Paris near the Eiffel Tower left one person dead and two others injured, according to Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin on Saturday. The 26-year-old assailant, a French national previously sentenced to four years in prison in 2016 for planning another attack, was swiftly apprehended by police using a Taser stun gun. The suspect, known for psychiatric disorders, was on the French security services’ watch list.
The assault occurred around 1900 GMT on the Quai de Grenelle, where the attacker, shouting “Allahu Akbar,” targeted a tourist couple with a knife, fatally wounding a German national. After a chase, the assailant, armed with a hammer, attacked two more individuals before being arrested.
During interrogation, the suspect expressed frustration over the loss of Muslim lives in Afghanistan, Palestine, and the Gaza situation. The anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office has taken charge of the investigation.
This incident, less than eight months before the Olympic Games in Paris, raises concerns about security for the upcoming global sporting event. The city plans an unprecedented opening ceremony on the Seine River, potentially drawing up to 600,000 spectators.
