Algerian Notre Dame Terror Attacker 'was Given an EU Award for Writing about Discrimination Against Migrants when he was a Journalist in Sweden'

The hammer-wielding terrorist who attacked police outside the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was handed an award by the European Union for complaining about racism against migrants.

Farid Ikken, 40, emerged from a crowd of tourists on Tuesday afternoon swinging his weapon at three police officers.

The Algerian took one of the officers to the ground while shouting 'this is for Syria' before police drew their weapons and shot two bullets at him.

Ikken, who was carrying kitchen knives, a hammer and other unsophisticated weapons, was injured in the attack and was taken to hospital.

Now it has emerged that he had worked as a reporter in Sweden - and received the EU's 'National Journalist Prize Against Discrimination'.

He was given the accolade by officials in Brussels after writing an article about asylum seekers 'who are not entitled to medical care and who are therefore forced to seek shelter'.

It also included details of 'healthcare staff and others who still provide healthcare to asylum seekers' in defiance of rules prohibiting them to do so.

After winning the prize in 2009, Ikken said: 'it has been gratifying that attention has been paid to such important topics as discrimination and diversity.'

Following yesterday's attack anti-terrorist police who raided Ikken's flat in the Paris suburb of Cergy-Pontoise found a video of him pledging his allegiance to Islamic State.

French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said the attacker cried 'it's for Syria' as he went after officers patrolling an esplanade in front of the famous landmark which was put on lockdown and was being guarded by soldiers overnight.

After Ikken was shot, he is said to have claimed to be a soldier of Islamic State.

He had no criminal record, but had regularly expressed his interest in jihad on the Internet, and had covered terrorism while working for various news outlets in his native Algeria.

Yesterday ISIS released a statement said to be from what it called its Commander of The Believers in France to the crossed (Christians) French people.

It read: 'O' people of France, demand of your government to stop its campaign against the Islamic State, if not, we will conduct operations of invasion and horror as you have lived in the cities of Paris and Nice. May peace be upon those who follow the guided message. Soldiers of the Islamic State in France.'