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| Normandy church attackers who murdered priest 'claimed to be from Isis' | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A priest has been murdered in the Normandy region of northern France after two men armed with knives and claiming to represent the Islamic State terror group took hostages in a church before being shot dead. | |
| Father Jacques Hamel, 84, had his throat slit, investigative sources said. The French president, François Hollande, who travelled immediately to Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray, near Rouen, said the attack was carried out by “two terrorists who claimed to be from Isis”. | |
| Five people – the priest and reportedly two nuns and two worshippers – were inside the church when the men entered. Isis later said two of its “soldiers” were responsible. | |
| Pierre Henry Brandet, an interior ministry spokesman, said the church had been 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”. | Pierre Henry Brandet, an interior ministry spokesman, said the church had been 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”. |
| Three of the hostages were freed unharmed, and another was fighting for their life. | Three of the hostages were freed unharmed, and another was fighting for their life. |
| 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.” | 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 Paris prosecutor’s office said the case had been handed to anti-terrorism judges for investigation. Police have reportedly identified one of the attackers as a local man who had tried to leave for Syria years ago and was turned back at the Turkish border. He was ordered by a judge to wear an electronic bracelet in March 2016. | |
| Hollande arrived with the French interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, but the two were an hour later still unable to enter the church, which was being checked for explosives. | Hollande arrived with the French interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, but the two were an hour later still unable to enter the church, which was being checked for explosives. |
| “I have met with the family of the priest and I have spoken to the people kept hostage who expressed their pain and sadness as well as a wish to comprehend what has happened,” Hollande said. | |
| He said the killing was another ordeal to add to those France – and other countries, including Germany – had suffered in the recent past. | |
| 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. | 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. | 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 murdered priest had worked in the parish for 10 years. He should have retired at 75 but wanted to continue serving the church and community, local residents said. | |
| Vatican spokesman Federico Lombard said the “The pope ... shares the pain and horror of this absurd violence,” adding that the attack created “immense pain and worry”. | Vatican spokesman Federico Lombard said the “The pope ... shares the pain and horror of this absurd violence,” adding that the attack created “immense pain and worry”. |
| Francis issued “the most severe condemnation of all forms of hatred” and said he was appalled “because this horrific violence took place in a church, a sacred place” and involved the “barbaric” killing of a priest. | Francis issued “the most severe condemnation of all forms of hatred” and said he was appalled “because this horrific violence took place in a church, a sacred place” and involved the “barbaric” killing of a priest. |
| 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.” | 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.” | 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.” |
| Abbot Philippe Maheut, of the Rouen diocese, said everyone was horribly shocked that the priest had been killed while carrying out mass. | |
| “We ask ourselves how we have arrived at this point,” he told BFMTV. “My message would be we have to continue to meet, to know each other, understand each other, support each other. Perhaps the death of this poor man will produce an electroshock, will be such a strong symbol that people will say we have to do something, but we have said that before.” | |
| Hervé Morin, the Normandy regional president, said: “This man was a good man, he always had a kind word for everyone. He served at this church for 30 years. Everyone is shocked. This was not just the killing of a man, it was the cutting of the throat of a priest ... and act sufficiently thought out to further destabilise French society. French society is in danger.” | |
| France remains on high alert nearly two weeks after a man drove 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 tensions 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. |