French President Hollande leaves European summit to deal with 'terrorist' attack at gas plant
European leaders are meeting in Brussels to address Europe's migrant crisis, Greece's debt problem, and other pressing matters, but French President Francois Hollande said at a press conference Friday that he is immediately returning to France to address an apparent Islamist attack on a gas plant in Saint-Quentin-Fallavier, near Lyon. "It is a terrorist attack, there is no doubt about that," Hollande said in a statement.
In the attack, at least one person drove through the gates into the gas factory, killing one person and wounding two others, Hollande said. The car hit gas containers, setting off explosions. Police sources tell The Associated Press that the severed head of the slain person was found posted at the entry gate while his body was found near the site of the exploded gas canisters, but that he wasn't killed in the blast.
French anti-terrorism police have arrested one alleged attacker, and they say he was already known to French intelligence officials, AFP reports. Police are searching for a possible accomplice. Two banners with Arabic writing, one black and one white, were found at the scene.
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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
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