The Moroccan-born attacker was only thwarted by the heroic actions of two off-duty US servicemen travelling on holiday in France, who overpowered him as train staff fled the scene.
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A Spanish anti-terrorist source told AFP: “He lived for seven years in Spain, first in Madrid and then in Algesiras, from 2007 to March 2014 when he moved to France”. He was in serious but stable condition, authorities said.
According to Le Voix du Nord, citing security sources, the suspected Islamist militant was seen on a plane to Turkey from Germany in May, and was thought to have visited Syria.
He “came running into our auto, yelling that the shooter was overpowered by American soldiers on leave, that everything was fine”, Anglade said in an interview published with French magazine Paris Match. “The gunman never said a word”. French President Francois Hollande spoke with them on Saturday.
Kahzani was transferred Saturday morning to the police antiterrorism headquarters outside Paris. At that point, he said, three Americans sitting near him saw the gunman and immediately took action.
At the same time, a British passenger also helped subdue the attacker.
Cazeneuve cautioned that the suspect’s identity is “not yet established with certainty”.
It is understood the 26-year-old emerged as a potential risk due to his links with two Islamists killed by Belgian police as they attempted to launch a terror attack on the day after the Charlie Hebdo massacre.
Skarlatos began beating the man with his own rifle.
“We heard a gunshot and we heard glass breaking behind us, and saw a train employee sprint past us down the aisle”, Sadler said from France, describing the incident. “I’d rather die being active, trying to get him down, than simply sit in the corner and be shot”. The train was subsequently rerouted to Arras, France.
Stone said his son, who is 6’2 and 220 pounds, probably took the gunman off guard when he ran toward the attacker instead of ducking for cover.
Anthony Sadler also comments about the Paris attack and how he and his friends fought back.
The man, who was also armed with a knife, was subdued by two American passengers who are US military servicemen and their student friend.
President Barack Obama telephoned Sadler, Stone and Skarlatos on Saturday to congratulate them for their heroism that prevented a tragedy aboard the packed train. He waved with his right hand to well-wishers and news media.
John Hayes, the Government’s security minister, told The Telegraph the latest terrorist attack showed the need for stronger borders across Europe and for greater communication between intelligence agencies. “We succeeded in controlling him, then got him to the ground”. “And they did”, she told the AP from Oregon.
“They were actually able to reattach that portion that was pretty severely cut”. They’re pictured at a restaurant in Arras, posing with medals they received for their bravery.
Cazeneuve, the French interior minister, praised the quick work of the Americans, whom he said had helped avert a far bloodier situation.
Contrary to early reports, Lorthiois said the attacker did not fire his automatic weapon but wounded one man with a handgun and the other with a blade of some kind.
A third person, French actor Jean-Hugues Anglade, suffered a minor injury while activating the train’s emergency alarm, Lorthiois said.
Spanish law enforcement told their French counterparts in March 2014 that Ayoub El-Khazzani had a “relationship with radical Islam”, the Spanish El Pais newspaper reported”.
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The suspect, who is believed to have recently travelled to Syria, is being questioned by French police after opening fire on the train as it passed through Belgium.
