Woman beheaded, 2 killed in knife attack in French church; terrorism suspected

Paris: French anti-terrorism prosecutors are investigating a knife attack at a church in the Mediterranean city of Nice that left three people dead at a time when French authorities are on high alert for extremist violence.

The assailant reportedly beheaded a woman with a knife, killed two other people and wounded several others. The attacker has been arrested and taken to a nearby hospital after being injured during his arrest, a police official said. He was believed to be acting alone and police are not searching for other assailants, the official said. She was not authorized to be publicly named.

The anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office said an investigation was opened into an attack with a terrorist connection.

Images on French media showed the neighborhood locked down and surrounded by police and emergency vehicles. Sounds of explosions could be heard as sappers exploded suspicious objects.

The exact motive of the attack was unclear but comes as France is under alert for Islamic extremist acts amid tensions over caricatures of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad published by satirical French weekly Charlie Hebdo, and after two other recent attacks in France with links to the cartoons.

The lower house of parliament suspended a debate on new virus restrictions and held a moment of silence Thursday for the victims. The prime minister rushed from the hall to head to a crisis center overseeing the aftermath of the attack.

Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi said the attacker shouted “Allahu akbar!” repeatedly as police apprehended him and that “the meaning of his gesture left no doubt.”