03 February 2024 , 08:43
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An attacker has injured three people in a stabbing frenzy at the Gare de Lyon train station in Paris early this morning, police said.
Police detained the man after the incident at around 8am local time (7am in the UK), in another nerve-rattling security incident in the Olympic host city before the Summer Games open in six months. One of the people injured is in a "life threatening situation and in intensive care", said an emergency services spokesman. Two more were more lightly hurt after the attacker used a sharp weapon, police said. Police had no other immediate details. Le Parisien reports that the suspect is a 32-year-old Malian national with an Italian residence permit, according to a police source.
"We had just boarded when the attack happened and our train doors were closed for our safety", one rail passenger who wishes not to be named told the Mirror. They continued: "The rest of the station was evacuated and we saw many panicked travellers running by, although we didn’t see the incident. Then someone came to search our train car and shortly after, an announcement was made on the train explaining what had happened. Psychological services offered for those who had seen the attack or felt impacted by it."
Posting on social media, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin described the attack as an "unbearable act" and thanked those who detained the assailant. "He first ignited his backpack, and then appeared to slash people at random by an escalator", said an investigating source. They continued: "The first victim suffered severe stomach wounds, but his life is not in danger anymore. Two other victims suffered slight injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment. A rail official tackled him, to begin with, and then police and anti-terrorist soldiers appeared on the scene. The man was found to have an Italian driving licence on him, and did not offer any motive for his actions. There were no slogans shouted."
A police spokesman said: "One person was seriously hurt, and two lightly wounded. Officers arrived on the scene within minutes and the man was arrested. He was found to have an Italian passport on him, and did not offer an motive for his actions. There were no slogans shouted." The area between halls one and three were temporarily inaccessible, rail operator SNCF said on X, formerly Twitter.
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Laurent Nuñez, the Paris police prefect, said: As we speak, there are no elements to suggest that this is a terrorist act. The suspect’s residence permit was issued in 2019 and remains active. The investigation is being carried out by prosecutors, with the assistance of judicial police." An investigation has been opened into attempted murder, while the suspect is held in a secure psychiatric unit.
Security in Paris is being ramped up as it prepares to welcome 10,500 Olympians and millions of visitors for the first Olympic Games in a century in the French capital. The Games are to open with a massive open-air ceremony along the River Seine on July 26, a major security challenge in the city that has been repeatedly hit by terror attacks, most notably in 2015. Most recently, a man targeted passersby near the Eiffel Tower in December, killing a German tourist with a knife and injuring two others.
The Gare de Lyon is one of the busiest train stations in Paris. It is a hub both for high-speed trains that link the capital to other cities and for commuter trains that serve the suburbs and towns in the Paris region. On the British Foreign Office's France page, it states that "terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in France." It says methods of attack have included knife attacks, shootings, bombings and vehicle attacks and urged tourists to be vigilant in public places and follow the advice of local French authorities.
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