21st Century Wire says…
Another police officer attacked; suspect neutralised and known to the French security services (DGSI/DGSE) Daesh (ISIS) allegedly claimed responsibility through one of their ‘propaganda websites’ shortly after.
Friday 21st April was to be the last day of rallying for candidates before Sunday’s first round of the French Presidential Elections.
Isn’t it interesting and convenient of these so called ‘attackers’, that before major election and other constitutional events a terrorist ‘lonewolf’ attack occurs where a politician or police officer is tragically killed.
More on this report from RT…
RT
One police officer has been killed and two were seriously injured in a shooting incident in central Paris, the French Interior Ministry has said. President Francois Hollande said the shooting was of “terrorist nature” as Islamic State claimed responsibility.
The shooting took place on the central boulevard of Champs Elysees. The suspected attacker was also killed in the shootout, according to police.
Addressing the nation following a crisis meeting at the presidential palace, French President Francois Hollande said that all leads indicate that the attack was of a “terrorist nature.”
Mes pensées vont à la famille du policier tué et aux proches des blessés. Un hommage national sera rendu.
— François Hollande (@fhollande) April 20, 2017
Hollande assured the public that “we will be absolutely vigilant” during the upcoming presidential election.
He announced that a security council will convene for a meeting at 8am on Friday, adding that “a national tribute” would be paid to the slain police officer.
Le président @fhollande réunit le premier ministre @BCazeneuve, le ministre de l’Intérieur @MatthiasFekl et le Garde des Sceaux @JJUrvoas pic.twitter.com/u1oAG2UC0F
— Élysée (@Elysee) April 20, 2017
The French Interior Ministry earlier confirmed in a Twitter post that the attacker targeted a police bus parked on the boulevard.
The gunman who killed the police officer was already known to law enforcement services, police confirmed without revealing the identity of the attacker.
Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS, ISIL) has claimed responsibility for the attack, AFP reported, citing the media agency Amaq, which is affiliated with the terrorist group. It also named Abu Yusuf al-Beljiki as the man behind the attack.
A large number of law enforcement have been deployed to the scene. A helicopter has been seen flying at a low altitude over central Paris. The local police department asked the people to “avoid the Champs Elysees district” and follow police instructions.
The French counter-terrorism office has opened an investigation into the incident, the Paris Prosecutor’s Office said. In the meantime, Reuters reports that the police raided the apartment of the attacker killed in the shootout, which is located to the east from Paris.
A bomb disposal team has been called in to inspect the vehicle of the assailant, the Interior Ministry said.
The French Interior Ministry dismissed earlier media reports about the death of the second police officer and confirmed that only one police officer was killed in the incident and the other two were seriously injured.
The shootout took place around 21:00 (local time) near the Franklin D. Roosevelt metro station in the 8th district of the French capital, the French RTL TV channel reports.
In the meantime, eyewitnesses told the local media that the assailant got out of a car and opened fire on the officers with a Kalashnikov assault rifle. This information was then partially confirmed by the Interior Minsitry spokesman, Pierre-Henry Brandet, who told journalists that “an automatic weapon was used against police, a weapon of war.”
He also revealed some new details about the attack. “A man immediately got out and opened fire on the police car, fatally wounding a police officer … He also wounded a second one, it would seem very seriously,” he said, as cited by Reuters.
An unconfirmed Reuters report citing police sources earlier said that shots were fired at another location near the Champs Elysees boulevard.
The incident comes just days ahead of the first round of the French presidential elections, which is scheduled for April 23…
Updates to follow via RT
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