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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 7 June 2017

Man attacks Paris police with tool at Notre Dame ‘for Syria’

By PHILIPPE SOTTO very sophisticated terrorism
ELAINE GANLEY to a terrorism where any
Associated Press instrument can be used for
PARIS (AP) — An assailant attacks,” the interior minis-
wielding a hammer at- ter said.
tacked Paris police guard- The head of the Munici-
ing Notre Dame Cathedral pal Police Defense Union,
on Tuesday, crying “This is Cedric Michel, said the at-
for Syria!” before being shot tacker was about 40 years
and wounded by officers old. A police official from
outside one of France’s another union confirmed
most popular tourist sites. the age of 40. The second
At least 600 people were official asked to remain
blocked inside the icon- anonymous to discuss the
ic 12th century church investigation.
while police first secured The incident happened
the streets around it, then around 4:20 p.m. A large
combed the pews while number of police cars de-
visitors sat with their hands scended on the Ile de Cite
raised for the check. Oth- island in the Seine River,
ers fled in panic from the where the celebrated ca-
sprawling esplanade out- Police officers seal off the access to Notre Dame cathedral, seen in the background, after a man thedral is located.
side the cathedral. attacked officers with a hammer outside the famous landmark, in Paris, France, Tuesday, June 6, Authorities told people to
The assault was the latest 2017. The Paris prosecutor’s office said the investigation was opened Tuesday soon after the at- stay away from the area
act of violence targeting tack. The attacker was shot and wounded in the incident in one of France’s most popular tourist and some took refuge in-
security forces at high-pro- areas. side the cathedral. q
file sites in France, which (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
remains under a state of
emergency after a string of a police officer in a three- Syria,” Collomb said, add-
Islamic extremist attacks. person patrol was lightly ing that the attacker ap-
No group immediately wounded in the attack, peared to have acted
claimed responsibility, but and the assailant was shot alone.
police searching a resi- and wounded by a fel- A hammer and kitchen
dence linked to the at- low officer. The attacker’s knives were found on the
tacker in the Paris suburb condition was being evalu- assailant, as well as a stu-
of Cergy-Pontoise found a ated. dent identity card indicat-
declaration of allegiance “A person came up behind ing he was from Algeria,
to the Islamic State group, the police officers, armed Collomb said. He said au-
according to the Paris with a hammer, and start- thorities were working to
prosecutor’s office. ed to hit the police officer,” verify the card’s authentic-
Interior Minister Gerard he said. ity.
Collomb told reporters that The man yelled “This is for “We have passed from a