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| France church attack: Priest killed in hostage-taking near Rouen | France church attack: Priest killed in hostage-taking near Rouen |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A priest has been killed in an attack by two armed men at his church in a suburb of Rouen in northern France. | |
| The attackers entered the church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray during Mass, taking the priest, Fr Jacques Hamel, 84, and four other people hostage. | |
| Police later surrounded the church and French TV said shots were fired. Both hostage-takers are now dead. | Police later surrounded the church and French TV said shots were fired. Both hostage-takers are now dead. |
| President Francois Hollande said the men claimed to be from so-called Islamic State (IS). | |
| Speaking in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, he said the attackers had committed a "cowardly assassination" and France would fight IS "by all means". | |
| Pope Francis decried the "pain and horror of this absurd violence". | Pope Francis decried the "pain and horror of this absurd violence". |
| French interior ministry spokesman, Pierre-Henri Brandet, said one of the hostages had been critically wounded. | French interior ministry spokesman, Pierre-Henri Brandet, said one of the hostages had been critically wounded. |
| He said the hostage-takers had been "neutralised" after coming out of the church. Police were now searching the church for explosives. | He said the hostage-takers had been "neutralised" after coming out of the church. Police were now searching the church for explosives. |
| 'Barbaric' | 'Barbaric' |
| Police sources said it appeared the attackers had slit the priest's throat with a knife. | Police sources said it appeared the attackers had slit the priest's throat with a knife. |
| The area has been cordoned off and police have told people to stay away. | The area has been cordoned off and police have told people to stay away. |
| Mr Brandet said the investigation into the incident would be led by anti-terrorism prosecutors. | |
| One of the men was known to the French intelligence services, French TV channel M6 has reported. | One of the men was known to the French intelligence services, French TV channel M6 has reported. |
| French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has expressed his horror at the "barbaric attack". | French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has expressed his horror at the "barbaric attack". |
| "The whole of France and all Catholics are wounded. We will stand together," he wrote on Twitter. | "The whole of France and all Catholics are wounded. We will stand together," he wrote on Twitter. |
| The Archbishop of Rouen, Dominique Lebrun, who was attending a Catholic gathering in Poland, said: "I cry out to God with all men of goodwill. I would invite non-believers to join in the cry. | The Archbishop of Rouen, Dominique Lebrun, who was attending a Catholic gathering in Poland, said: "I cry out to God with all men of goodwill. I would invite non-believers to join in the cry. |
| "The Catholic Church cannot take weapons other than those of prayer and brotherhood among men." | "The Catholic Church cannot take weapons other than those of prayer and brotherhood among men." |
| Analysis - BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner | Analysis - BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner |
| After criticisms of police shortcomings over the Nice attack on 14 July, French anti-terrorist police moved with commendable speed to close down this hostage situation in a Norman church. | After criticisms of police shortcomings over the Nice attack on 14 July, French anti-terrorist police moved with commendable speed to close down this hostage situation in a Norman church. |
| Observers have pointed out that France and other countries are now moving more quickly towards what is called tactical intervention - overwhelming armed force aimed at minimising the period during which terrorists or armed criminals can threaten the public. | Observers have pointed out that France and other countries are now moving more quickly towards what is called tactical intervention - overwhelming armed force aimed at minimising the period during which terrorists or armed criminals can threaten the public. |
| The selection of a church by the attackers, whatever their motives turn out to be, crosses a new red line in the grim history of recent attacks on continental Europe. The murder of an 84-year-old priest in this attack will have further inflamed public opinion. | The selection of a church by the attackers, whatever their motives turn out to be, crosses a new red line in the grim history of recent attacks on continental Europe. The murder of an 84-year-old priest in this attack will have further inflamed public opinion. |
| News that one of the attackers was on the French government's terror watch-list, known as the S list, will prompt many to question its purpose if he can remain at large to carry a knife into a church. | News that one of the attackers was on the French government's terror watch-list, known as the S list, will prompt many to question its purpose if he can remain at large to carry a knife into a church. |
| A woman who works at a local beauty parlour, Eulalie Garcia, said she had known the priest since her childhood. | A woman who works at a local beauty parlour, Eulalie Garcia, said she had known the priest since her childhood. |
| "My family has lived here for 35 years and we have always known him," she said. | "My family has lived here for 35 years and we have always known him," she said. |
| "He was someone who was treasured by the community. He was very discreet and didn't like to draw attention to himself." | "He was someone who was treasured by the community. He was very discreet and didn't like to draw attention to himself." |
| There was no immediate word on the identity of the hostage-takers, but France has been on high alert since the Bastille Day attack in Nice earlier this month, when a man ploughed a lorry into celebrating crowds, killing more than 80 people. | There was no immediate word on the identity of the hostage-takers, but France has been on high alert since the Bastille Day attack in Nice earlier this month, when a man ploughed a lorry into celebrating crowds, killing more than 80 people. |
| The Nice attack was carried out by Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, who was not a known jihadist but so-called Islamic State said he had acted in response to its calls to target civilians in countries that have been attacking it. | The Nice attack was carried out by Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, who was not a known jihadist but so-called Islamic State said he had acted in response to its calls to target civilians in countries that have been attacking it. |
| The BBC's Lucy Williamson in Paris says the French government has been under huge pressure to prevent further attacks. | The BBC's Lucy Williamson in Paris says the French government has been under huge pressure to prevent further attacks. |
| Are you in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray? Have you been affected by the hostage incident? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray? Have you been affected by the hostage incident? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| If you are available to talk to a BBC journalist, please include a telephone number. | If you are available to talk to a BBC journalist, please include a telephone number. |
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