On Tuesday morning, French President Francois Holland and Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve called the stabbing death of two police officials on Monday "a terrorist act." Two unidentified French officials tell The Associated Press that the assailant is a 25-year-old suburban Paris resident named Larossi Abbala, who was reportedly sentenced to three years in prison in 2013 on terrorism charges tied to recruiting jihadis in Pakistan. The attacker fatally stabbed the police officer outside his home in the Parisian suburb of Magnaville, then took his female partner, also a police official, and a child hostage.
When antiterrorism police stormed the apartment after unsuccessful hostage negotiations, in which Abbala reportedly claimed allegiance to the Islamic State, they found the woman dead but the child alive. The attacker was killed in the raid. Hollande and Cazeneuve both compared the attack to the murder of 49 people in Orlando, Florida, early Sunday morning, with Hollande warning that France still faces a "very large scale" terrorism threat and Cazeneuve saying that France has arrested more than 100 people viewed as potential threats this year, including in recent weeks, as France prepares to host a major European soccer tournament.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Today's political cartoons - March 8, 2025Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - trade wars, healthcare costs, and more
-
Marbled tea eggs recipeThe Week Recommends With a beautiful exterior, these eggs are also marked by their soft yolk
-
The Washington Post: kowtowing to Trump?Talking Point The newspaper's opinion editor has handed in his notice following edict from Jeff Bezos
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wifespeed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster showSpeed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top GrammysSpeed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own roomSpeed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talksSpeed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tourSpeed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamationSpeed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box officeSpeed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
