Police Shoot Dead ‘ISIS Terrorist’ Who Killed 3 and Took Hostages in France
A suspected terrorist fired shots at police in a French town, took hostages at a supermarket and pledged allegiance to ISIS. 3 people are believed to have been killed.
It’s now been confirmed the hostage taker, believed to be a Moroccan national who pledged allegiance to ISIS, has been shot and killed by police.
A total of 3 police officers were injured during the attack, reports claim.
French media reports a gunman who took hostages in a supermarket in Trebes near Carcassonne in southern France has been shot dead
— Sky News Breaking (@SkyNewsBreak) March 23, 2018
He barricaded himself into a supermarket in Trebes, Aude, southern France, near Carcassonne after firing at police officers from inside a car.
The suspect was thought to be armed with grenades and wanted to take revenge for Syria, according to local media. He’s also understood to have ‘shouted about Allah’.
He is believed to be a Moroccan national known to security services and was demanding the release of Salah Abdeslam, the only surviving member of the ISIS terror cell responsible for the Paris terror attacks.
#UPDATE: Local media report the attacker is a Moroccan national known to France's intelligence services, who is demanding the release of Salah Abdeslam, the only surviving member of the Isil cell that attacked Paris in 2015
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) March 23, 2018
Read more: https://t.co/K0eDFJiYL4 pic.twitter.com/SYTofpIKBV
French media is reporting that 3 people are thought to have died in the supermarket, one of them was an employee – General Jean-Valéry Letterman said: “Unfortunately we have a presumption of death, but we can not get a doctor on site to check.”
French media saying 15-16,000 people are on the watch list of people suspected of being radicalised along religious lines in France - Reports say the #Trebes shooter was on that list
— katya adler (@BBCkatyaadler) March 23, 2018
French media say the gunman shot at police, hitting one in the shoulder.
Police are surrounding a supermarket in Carcassonne in southern France after a police officer was shot and French media reports say hostages may have been taken
— Sky News Breaking (@SkyNewsBreak) March 23, 2018
French PM Édouard Philippe has confirmed it’s a ‘serious situation‘.
CORRECTION: France gunman claims allegiance to Islamic State group: prosecutors (Changes 'Islamic State group claims' to 'France gunman claims')
— AFP news agency (@AFP) March 23, 2018
It’s believed there are currently 3 helicopters above the supermarket and France’s Interior Minister has raced to the scene. A secure perimeter has been set up.
#Trèbes : je fais un point de situation en visioconférence avec nos forces de sécurité depuis l’École Nationale Supérieure de Police où j’étais ce matin en déplacement. pic.twitter.com/Nj0PEim60k
— Gérard Collomb (@gerardcollomb) March 23, 2018
Local authorities are reportedly treating it as a terror attack.
