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Priest killed after hostages taken in Normandy church, French police say Priest killed after hostages taken in Normandy church, French police say
(35 minutes later)
A priest has been killed in the Normandy region of northern France after two men armed with knives took hostages in a church before being shot dead, French police have said. A priest has been killed in the Normandy region of northern France after two men armed with knives took hostages in a church before being shot dead.
A police source told Reuters it appeared the priest’s throat had been slit. A French interior ministry spokesman said a second hostage was in a critical condition. Father Jacques Hamel, 84, had his throat slit, investigative sources said.
Five people – reportedly a priest, two nuns and two worshippers – were taken hostage by the assailants in Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray, near Rouen. French media reported that one of the hostages managed to escape to raise the alarm. Five people – reportedly the priest, two nuns and two worshippers – were inside the church in Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray, near Rouen, when it came under attack.
The motivations for the hostage-taking were not yet clear, but the Paris prosecutor’s office said the case had been handed to anti-terrorism judges for investigation. Pierre Henry Brandet, an interior ministry spokesman, said the church was surrounded by the BRI, France’s “anti-gang brigade”, which specialises in kidnappings, and that “the two assailants came out and were killed by police”.
The French president, François Hollande, and the interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve were en route to Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray on Tuesday. Three of the hostages were freed unharmed, and another was fighting for their life.
The prime minister, Manuel Valls, said the attack was a blow to all Catholics and the whole of France. “We will stand together,” Valls said on Twitter. The Vatican said it was a “barbaric killing” made even more heinous because it happened in a sacred place. A witness whose home overlooks the church told BFMTV: “There were more and more police … then a crescendo of gunfire. Of course, given what is happening in the world, we thought of a [terrorist] attack. It was hard to believe what was happening.”
The incident comes as France remains on high alert nearly two weeks after a man ploughed a truck into a crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, killing 84 people and injuring more than 300. The motivations for the hostage-taking were not yet clear, but the Paris prosecutor’s office said the case had been handed to anti-terrorism judges for investigation. The French president, François Hollande, and the interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, have arrived at the scene.
The Nice attack was the third major strike on France in 18 months and was claimed by Islamic State. Two attacks in Germany claimed by Isis since then have also heightened tensions in Europe. The prime minister, Manuel Valls, said the “barbaric” attack was a blow to the Catholic community and the whole of France. “We will stand together,” Valls tweeted.
Horreur face à l'attaque barbare d'une église de Seine-Maritime. La France entière et tous les catholiques sont meurtris. Nous ferons bloc.
The Vatican said: “There is a new terrible news, which unfortunately adds to the violence that has occurred in recent days, creating immense pain and worry … We are particularly moved because this horrific violence took place in a church, a sacred place where the love of God is declared, with the barbaric killing of a priest and the involvement of the faithful.”
A local woman who worshipped at the church described Hamel as “a man who did his job to the end. He was elderly but was always available for whoever. He was a good priest.”
She added: “He has been here for a long time and many parishioners knew him well. He lived in the rectory at Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray.”
France remains on high alert nearly two weeks after a man ploughed a truck into a crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, killing 84 people and injuring more than 300.
The Nice attack was the third major attack on France in 18 months and was claimed by Islamic State. Two attacks in Germany claimed by Isis since then have heightened the tension in Europe.
After the attack in Nice, France extended a state of emergency for another six months. The measure gives police extra powers to carry out searches and place people under house arrest.After the attack in Nice, France extended a state of emergency for another six months. The measure gives police extra powers to carry out searches and place people under house arrest.