Radical Islam is likely to blame for the attack in the French coastal city, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said, although he refused to speculate whether the perpetrator was merely inspired by religion, or had received terrorist training.
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In a news conference Friday, French President François Hollande referred to a police officer who was killed trying to slow the truck.
One of the men was arrested Friday and three others on Saturday morning, AFP reported.
Video shot by witnesses shows the truck coming under police gunfire as it drives through an intersection along the palm tree-lined Promenade des Anglais, which had been turned into a pedestrian walkway for the independence day celebrations.
A former San Francisco resident vacationing in France said she is lucky to be alive after narrowly escaping Thursday’s terror attacks that killed more than 80 people.
French authorities said they were checking the claim.
This display of unity rippled across the world as iconic landmarks lit up in blue, white and red for France as they had after attacks previous year. This is also a signal for us to unite more resolutely in our fight against the worldwide terrorism.
According to the French-Armenian Nouvelles D’Armenie magazine, the Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations of France (CCAF ) issued the following statement: “The CCAF sincerely condemns the attack that occurred in Nice on the national holiday”.
No group has claimed responsibility for the carnage, but French officials called it an undeniable act of terror.
– Hollande announces that a national state of emergency that was to have been lifted on July 26 will now be extended for three more months.
The unidentified man on the motorcycle then dismounts the bike and attempts to enter the cabin of the truck, but falls under the wheels instead.
The truck was still where it came to rest, its windscreen riddled with bullet holes.
“He is totally unknown to the intelligence services, both locally and nationally”, said Paris prosecutor Francois Molins.
Christian Estrosi, the president of the region, said the truck was later found to be packed with arms and grenades, according to the Associated Press.
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“No word from Claire who was present at the fireworks, she is 18 years old”, said a post.
