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French policeman stabbed during gas canister car arrests | French policeman stabbed during gas canister car arrests |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A French policeman has been stabbed during an operation to arrest three women over a suspect car containing gas canisters, which was found near Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Sunday. | |
Police shot and wounded one of the women during the operation in Boussy-Saint-Antoine, south-east of the city. | Police shot and wounded one of the women during the operation in Boussy-Saint-Antoine, south-east of the city. |
One of the three women, aged 19, reportedly swore allegiance to so-called Islamic State. | One of the three women, aged 19, reportedly swore allegiance to so-called Islamic State. |
In November, 130 people died in Paris in attacks by the group. | In November, 130 people died in Paris in attacks by the group. |
A state of emergency has been in place in France since then. | A state of emergency has been in place in France since then. |
French media report that a man was arrested on Friday - the boyfriend of a 39-year-old woman among the three arrested in Boussy-Saint-Antoine, which is 30km (19 miles) from Paris. | |
Her phone was being monitored because her boyfriend's brother was already in custody. | |
Speaking on Friday, President Francois Hollande urged vigilance: "An attack was derailed... a group has been disbanded, but there are others and we must be able to act each time before it is too late and that's what we're doing." | |
A Peugeot 607 containing gas canisters was found early on Sunday on the Quai de Montebello, just metres (yards) from the cathedral, which attracts millions of tourists every year. | A Peugeot 607 containing gas canisters was found early on Sunday on the Quai de Montebello, just metres (yards) from the cathedral, which attracts millions of tourists every year. |
The suspicious car had its hazard warning lights flashing and no number plates, police say. | |
One of the canisters, on the front passenger seat, was empty, and there were no detonators inside. | One of the canisters, on the front passenger seat, was empty, and there were no detonators inside. |
Documents with writing in Arabic were also found in the car, police say. | Documents with writing in Arabic were also found in the car, police say. |
Suspects 'stressed' | Suspects 'stressed' |
Boussy-Saint-Antoine resident Joachim Fortes Sanchez, 21, said he had seen the three women - aged 39, 23 and 19 - before they were arrested during Thursday night's operation. | Boussy-Saint-Antoine resident Joachim Fortes Sanchez, 21, said he had seen the three women - aged 39, 23 and 19 - before they were arrested during Thursday night's operation. |
They "appeared stressed, they were looking all around", he told AFP news agency. | They "appeared stressed, they were looking all around", he told AFP news agency. |
When they were arrested, "a young woman pulled out a knife and struck a policeman... It happened very quickly". | When they were arrested, "a young woman pulled out a knife and struck a policeman... It happened very quickly". |
The French interior ministry tweeted that the police officer had been stabbed in the shoulder. It said his injuries were not life-threatening. | The French interior ministry tweeted that the police officer had been stabbed in the shoulder. It said his injuries were not life-threatening. |
Police went on to search an apartment the three women had been seen leaving. | Police went on to search an apartment the three women had been seen leaving. |
The 19-year-old woman, said to be a daughter of the car's owner, is the main suspect in the suspected plot. | The 19-year-old woman, said to be a daughter of the car's owner, is the main suspect in the suspected plot. |
'Race against time' | |
A source close to the investigation told RTL radio (in French) a letter had been found in which she pledged allegiance to IS. | A source close to the investigation told RTL radio (in French) a letter had been found in which she pledged allegiance to IS. |
The letter said the three women wanted to avenge the death of the group's chief strategist, Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, in Syria in August, the station reported. | The letter said the three women wanted to avenge the death of the group's chief strategist, Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, in Syria in August, the station reported. |
The suspects "had been radicalised, were fanatics and were in all likelihood preparing an imminent, violent act", said Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve. | The suspects "had been radicalised, were fanatics and were in all likelihood preparing an imminent, violent act", said Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve. |
Investigators, he said, had been in a "race against time". | Investigators, he said, had been in a "race against time". |
According to French media, the car owner was on an intelligence watch-list. He has already been questioned. | According to French media, the car owner was on an intelligence watch-list. He has already been questioned. |
A man on the terrorism watch list was arrested on Wednesday as well as an associate of the car's owner. | A man on the terrorism watch list was arrested on Wednesday as well as an associate of the car's owner. |