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| Nice attack: French police arrest two more people with ties to attacker | Nice attack: French police arrest two more people with ties to attacker |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| French police have arrested a man and a woman with ties to Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, who killed 84 people and injured hundreds more on Thursday when he drove a truck at high speed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks in Nice. | French police have arrested a man and a woman with ties to Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, who killed 84 people and injured hundreds more on Thursday when he drove a truck at high speed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks in Nice. |
| Five other people are already in custody being questioned by police as detectives try to learn more about the 31-year-old Tunisian delivery driver, described as “a soldier” on Saturday by Islamic State, which has claimed the attack. | Five other people are already in custody being questioned by police as detectives try to learn more about the 31-year-old Tunisian delivery driver, described as “a soldier” on Saturday by Islamic State, which has claimed the attack. |
| Among those still being questioned is Lahouaiej-Bouhlel’s estranged wife and mother of his three children. Some media reported that she had been a victim of domestic violence. | Among those still being questioned is Lahouaiej-Bouhlel’s estranged wife and mother of his three children. Some media reported that she had been a victim of domestic violence. |
| From the accounts of those from Lahouaiej-Bouhlel’s entourage being questioned, police have concluded that the Tunisian, who had been living in France for several years, had been radicalised quickly. | From the accounts of those from Lahouaiej-Bouhlel’s entourage being questioned, police have concluded that the Tunisian, who had been living in France for several years, had been radicalised quickly. |
| Europe1 radio reported that he had been pictured by CCTV cameras on Nice’s seafront Promenade des Anglais twice in the two days before the attack. He had been seen driving in the area, presumably examining the spot in preparation, the French radio station reported. | Europe1 radio reported that he had been pictured by CCTV cameras on Nice’s seafront Promenade des Anglais twice in the two days before the attack. He had been seen driving in the area, presumably examining the spot in preparation, the French radio station reported. |
| The “long and painful process” in which families will be able to see their deceased loved-ones will begin on Sunday, Juliette Méadel, France’s junior minister for “aid to victims” told RTL radio. The new ministerial post of “aid to victims” was a job created earlier this year by François Hollande after families of the victims from other attacks, including last year’s Charlie Hebdo massacre and November’s Paris attacks, complained of mistakes, delays and failings in dealing with families and passing on information about the identities of the dead. | The “long and painful process” in which families will be able to see their deceased loved-ones will begin on Sunday, Juliette Méadel, France’s junior minister for “aid to victims” told RTL radio. The new ministerial post of “aid to victims” was a job created earlier this year by François Hollande after families of the victims from other attacks, including last year’s Charlie Hebdo massacre and November’s Paris attacks, complained of mistakes, delays and failings in dealing with families and passing on information about the identities of the dead. |
| Several families have still not found their loved ones after the attack, and 16 bodies are still unidentified. | Several families have still not found their loved ones after the attack, and 16 bodies are still unidentified. |
| Related: Who were the Nice attack victims? | Related: Who were the Nice attack victims? |
| As the government faces mounting criticism from rightwing opposition over its security policy, the French prime minister, Manuel Valls, said new attacks would occur as France faced a long-term issue of terrorism. | As the government faces mounting criticism from rightwing opposition over its security policy, the French prime minister, Manuel Valls, said new attacks would occur as France faced a long-term issue of terrorism. |
| “I’ve always told the truth regarding terrorism: there is an ongoing war, there will be more attacks. It’s difficult to say, but other lives will be lost.” He said it was important to respect the “state of law”. He also warned against Donald Trump-style proposals such as restricting Muslims entry to the US. “The response to Islamic State cannot be the Trump-isation of our state of mind,” he told Le Journal du Dimanche. | “I’ve always told the truth regarding terrorism: there is an ongoing war, there will be more attacks. It’s difficult to say, but other lives will be lost.” He said it was important to respect the “state of law”. He also warned against Donald Trump-style proposals such as restricting Muslims entry to the US. “The response to Islamic State cannot be the Trump-isation of our state of mind,” he told Le Journal du Dimanche. |
| On Saturday, hours after Isis claimed responsibility for the latest deadly assault on French soil, the country’s interior minister appealed for calm and unity as France reeled from what he termed “a new kind of terror attack”. However, no evidence was presented to support the claim that Lahouaiej-Bouhlel had been acting in Isis’s name. | On Saturday, hours after Isis claimed responsibility for the latest deadly assault on French soil, the country’s interior minister appealed for calm and unity as France reeled from what he termed “a new kind of terror attack”. However, no evidence was presented to support the claim that Lahouaiej-Bouhlel had been acting in Isis’s name. |
| Bernard Cazeneuve said initial indications suggested the truck’s driver, Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, had been “radicalised very quickly” before the attack. | Bernard Cazeneuve said initial indications suggested the truck’s driver, Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, had been “radicalised very quickly” before the attack. |
| Although the 31-year-old Tunisian, who held a French residency permit, was known to police through a string of minor fracas over the past six years, the minister confirmed he had not crossed the radar of the intelligence services. | Although the 31-year-old Tunisian, who held a French residency permit, was known to police through a string of minor fracas over the past six years, the minister confirmed he had not crossed the radar of the intelligence services. |
| Cazeneuve also noted the carnage on the Promenade des Anglais bore none of the hallmarks of previous attacks such as the assault on the offices of the magazine Charlie Hebdo and a kosher grocery in Paris or the coordinated attacks on Paris last November. | Cazeneuve also noted the carnage on the Promenade des Anglais bore none of the hallmarks of previous attacks such as the assault on the offices of the magazine Charlie Hebdo and a kosher grocery in Paris or the coordinated attacks on Paris last November. |
| “There were no heavy weapons or explosives used,” he said. “As a result, the trauma induced by this extremely violent crime has deeply shocked the French people and underlined the massive difficulty of the struggle against terrorism. | “There were no heavy weapons or explosives used,” he said. “As a result, the trauma induced by this extremely violent crime has deeply shocked the French people and underlined the massive difficulty of the struggle against terrorism. |
| “We are confronted by individuals who, vulnerable to messages from [Isis], carry out extremely violent acts without necessarily having taken part in combat or received training.” | “We are confronted by individuals who, vulnerable to messages from [Isis], carry out extremely violent acts without necessarily having taken part in combat or received training.” |
| In response to questions as to how the truck had managed to get on to the promenade when there had been police cars blocking access, Cazeneuve said the vehicle had “very violently” mounted the pavement to force its way into the pedestrianised area. | In response to questions as to how the truck had managed to get on to the promenade when there had been police cars blocking access, Cazeneuve said the vehicle had “very violently” mounted the pavement to force its way into the pedestrianised area. |
| Related: The Nice attack reminds us that France is at war | Christine Ockrent | Related: The Nice attack reminds us that France is at war | Christine Ockrent |
| Cazeneuve leapt to the defence of the police and intelligence services. Since the beginning of the year, he said, 160 people connected with terror plots had been arrested, thwarting “a significant number of attacks” – including some that could have targeted the Euro 2016 football tournament. | Cazeneuve leapt to the defence of the police and intelligence services. Since the beginning of the year, he said, 160 people connected with terror plots had been arrested, thwarting “a significant number of attacks” – including some that could have targeted the Euro 2016 football tournament. |
| He batted away the political controversy, saying that events in Nice demanded national unity rather than attempts at political point scoring. | He batted away the political controversy, saying that events in Nice demanded national unity rather than attempts at political point scoring. |
| “The terrorists are trying to divide us,” he said. “If we allow ourselves to become divided, we are helping them achieve their aims.” | “The terrorists are trying to divide us,” he said. “If we allow ourselves to become divided, we are helping them achieve their aims.” |
| The killing began shortly before 11pm on Thursday when the truck sped down the promenade and began mowing down people. According to the authorities, Lahouaiej-Bouhlel managed to breach the barriers by driving the truck on to the pavement. | The killing began shortly before 11pm on Thursday when the truck sped down the promenade and began mowing down people. According to the authorities, Lahouaiej-Bouhlel managed to breach the barriers by driving the truck on to the pavement. |
| What followed looked, in the words of one Italian tourist, “like the apocalypse”. | What followed looked, in the words of one Italian tourist, “like the apocalypse”. |
| On Saturday, as some walked and jogged beside the beach, others continued to leave floral tributes at the metal barriers lining the promenade. | On Saturday, as some walked and jogged beside the beach, others continued to leave floral tributes at the metal barriers lining the promenade. |
| At the Fondation Lenval, Nice children’s hospital, where 30 young patients were taken on Thursday night, some were still fighting for their lives. | At the Fondation Lenval, Nice children’s hospital, where 30 young patients were taken on Thursday night, some were still fighting for their lives. |
| A spokeswoman said that five children were in a critical condition, one in a stable condition and three on respirators. She said the youngest child receiving treatment was just six months old, adding that most of the children had head injuries and fractures. One foreign child, whose identity had been a mystery, was identified late on Saturday afternoon as a seven-and-a-half year old from Romania. | |
| The hospital has set up a counselling centre staffed by four psychologists to help people deal with the trauma of Thursday’s attack, so far treating more than 50 families. | The hospital has set up a counselling centre staffed by four psychologists to help people deal with the trauma of Thursday’s attack, so far treating more than 50 families. |
| “We’re used to treating a lot of children, but the difficult thing with this is the psychological aspect,” said the spokeswoman. | “We’re used to treating a lot of children, but the difficult thing with this is the psychological aspect,” said the spokeswoman. |
| Madame Bourmault, who lives two minutes from the promenade, was still struggling to come to terms with the atrocity as she returned to the scene on Friday night with a bunch of flowers in her hand and tears in her eyes. | Madame Bourmault, who lives two minutes from the promenade, was still struggling to come to terms with the atrocity as she returned to the scene on Friday night with a bunch of flowers in her hand and tears in her eyes. |
| “I can’t sleep and I can’t breathe. It’s just horrible,” she said. “What else can you say?” | “I can’t sleep and I can’t breathe. It’s just horrible,” she said. “What else can you say?” |
| She had been down by the firework display on Thursday night and seen a sudden tide of people screaming and running away. “In a fraction of a second, the music stopped and there was a lot of screaming. Everyone was running and no one was helping.” | She had been down by the firework display on Thursday night and seen a sudden tide of people screaming and running away. “In a fraction of a second, the music stopped and there was a lot of screaming. Everyone was running and no one was helping.” |
| Despite the scenes she witnessed, she refused to blame the authorities for what had happened. What else, she asked, could the police have done? | Despite the scenes she witnessed, she refused to blame the authorities for what had happened. What else, she asked, could the police have done? |
| “You can’t put a policeman behind everyone - and there are a lot of crazy people in this world.” | “You can’t put a policeman behind everyone - and there are a lot of crazy people in this world.” |