Notre Dame attacker shouted "this is for Syria" before being shot - interior minister

Record ID: 878354

  • Title: Notre Dame attacker shouted "this is for Syria" before being shot - interior minister
  • Date: 6th June 2017
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (JUNE 6, 2017) (REUTERS) ARMED POLICE OFFICER STANDING OUTSIDE NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL AS BELLS RING FORENSIC POLICE STANDING UNDERNEATH WHITE TENT FRENCH INTERIOR MINISTER, GERARD COLLOMB, ARRIVING TO SPEAK TO MEDIA WITH OFFICIALS ARMED POLICE OFFICER STANDING (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH INTERIOR MINISTER, GERARD COLLOMB, SAYING: "A policeman was attacked this afternoon by an individual at around 4:20 p.m. (1420 GMT). Three police officers on surveillance duty, especially for tourists around Notre Dame, were patrolling when a person armed with a hammer came behind these police officers and began hitting a police officer." MEDIA STANDING BY NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH INTERIOR MINISTER, GERARD COLLOMB, SAYING: "Their colleague reacted with composure, immediately withdrew (their weapon) and opened fire, meaning the police officer who was attacked wasn't a victim of a more serious act of violence than what he went through. This police officer is currently in hospital. The attacker is himself being attended to; he was injured." JOURNALISTS GATHERED (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH INTERIOR MINISTER, GERARD COLLOMB, SAYING: "The incident is being followed by the public prosecutor since the attacker shouted, 'this is for Syria' when he hit the police officer. We don't know further information at this stage." POLICE OFFICERS STANDING (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH INTERIOR MINISTER, GERARD COLLOMB, SAYING: "What we know today is that it was someone who said he was an Algerian student, carrying a card whose authenticity we need to check. That's all we know at this stage." POLICE VANS IN FRONT OF NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL FORENSIC POLICE WORKING NEXT TO WHITE TENT ARMED POLICE WALKING FORENSIC POLICE AT WORK NEAR TENT NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL
  • Embargoed: 20th June 2017 17:57
  • Keywords: police operation police security France attacker interior minister Collomb Notre Dame
  • Location: PARIS, FRANCE
  • City: PARIS, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,International/National Security
  • Reuters ID: LVA0016K55RNR
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: An attacker at Paris Notre Dame cathedral carrying an Algerian student card shouted "this is for Syria" when he smashed with a hammer one of three police officers, French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said on Tuesday (June 6).
    The assailant wounded one officer before he was shot and wounded by other officers. The Paris prosecutor's office swiftly began a counter-terrorism investigation.
    Collomb added that the injured attacker was being treated in hospital and seemed to have acted alone.
    Dozens of armed police sealed off the area and the cathedral in central Paris that is visited by millions of tourists every year was locked down while the security forces secured the area.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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