“This is not only an attack on France, but an attack on democracy”.
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Hollande rushed to Nice, 690 kilometers (490 miles) south of Paris, to offer his condolences after the emergency meeting.
He had three children but lived separately from his wife, who was taken into police custody on Friday, prosecutor Francois Molins said.
Hollande said it was not clear whether the driver had accomplices.
Anti-terrorism prosecutor Francois Molins said the 31-year-old Tunisian was “completely unknown” to the intelligence services but that the assault was “exactly in line with” calls from jihadist groups to kill. “In the middle of all this is a Muslim family [real Muslims], one of whom did not escape this insane lorry”, he said.
The regional president, Christian Estrosi, told BFM TV that “the driver fired on the crowd, according to the police who killed him”. “I have a little restaurant and the people rushed inside to the kitchen”, Russo said.
Relatives also were seeking news about a Scottish couple, 27-year-old Carole Annie Cowan and 30-year-old Ross Cowan, who were on vacation in Nice and reported missing. “It’s at that moment that the police were able to neutralize this terrorist”.
“The only information that I have is that there is one United Kingdom national who is injured”.
Hollande said France would observe three days of national mourning from Saturday and Paris city hall said the Eiffel Tower was to be lit in France’s national colours on Friday in tribute to the victims.
“This is making Europe so much weaker at a time when Europe doesn’t know what it stands for”, said Ian Bremmer, head of consulting firm Eurasia Group.
Marine Le Pen of the anti-immigrant National Front, a declared candidate, also said the government hadn’t done enough.
Ciotti said identification papers were found in the truck and that investigators were trying to determine whether they were legitimate.
The attack left a scene of carnage on Nice’s picturesque Promenade des Anglais, with mangled bodies strewn over the palm-fringed walkway.
Roman Catholic Pope Francis said via Twitter that he was praying for the victims and their families, adding, “I ask God to convert the hearts of the violent blinded by hate”. “I expect it to be unveiled, discovered and kept up to date”.
While Mr Hollande’s response to terrorism has in the past earned him support across the political spectrum and two discernible improvements in popularity, his government’s failure to prevent this most recent killing may hurt any ambition to stay in power.
Boston police said they were providing extra security for the event.
“It was around 1030 when a hundred people came inside the restaurant by force”.
“A lot of people are there to see fireworks, a lot of kids”.
“I’ve heard the news, and I am horrified by what’s happened in Nice”.
France was the center of global attention in January 2015, when two Al Qaeda-inspired gunman attacked the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris, killing 12. One expert says this method of attack not only can be done by anyone at any time, but they won’t need to first tip their hand by traveling to Syria, contacting other terrorists, or anything like that.
Police have reportedly praised a heroic member of the public for jumping into a truck and wrestling with its murderous driver as it tore through throngs of men, women and children celebrating Bastille Day in Nice on Friday.
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The state of emergency initiated after those attacks, which has now been extended, was due to be lifted later this month.
