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| Paris knife attack: soldier shoots man outside Louvre in 'terrorist' incident | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A major security operation is under way near the Louvre museum in Paris after a man attempted a knife attack on soldiers patrolling the area. The French prime minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, said it appeared to be an “attack of terrorist nature”. | A major security operation is under way near the Louvre museum in Paris after a man attempted a knife attack on soldiers patrolling the area. The French prime minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, said it appeared to be an “attack of terrorist nature”. |
| Paris anti-terrorist police are investigating after a man carrying a rucksack wounded one soldier with a knife. Another soldier in the patrol opened fire. | Paris anti-terrorist police are investigating after a man carrying a rucksack wounded one soldier with a knife. Another soldier in the patrol opened fire. |
| The attempted attack took place in the Carousel du Louvre, a commercial underground shopping centre near the entrance to the Louvre, which is one of the world’s most-visited museums. | The attempted attack took place in the Carousel du Louvre, a commercial underground shopping centre near the entrance to the Louvre, which is one of the world’s most-visited museums. |
| The attack happened at around 10am on a stairway in the shopping centre when the man ran at soldiers with a knife. | The attack happened at around 10am on a stairway in the shopping centre when the man ran at soldiers with a knife. |
| Michel Cadot, the Paris police prefect, said the man headed towards soldiers “armed with a machete”. He said the man had: “shouted threats and ‘Allahu Akbar’”. | Michel Cadot, the Paris police prefect, said the man headed towards soldiers “armed with a machete”. He said the man had: “shouted threats and ‘Allahu Akbar’”. |
| One soldier was slightly wounded and another soldier fired back five shots. The man was wounded, including to the stomach, but he was still alive. | One soldier was slightly wounded and another soldier fired back five shots. The man was wounded, including to the stomach, but he was still alive. |
| Cadot said no explosives had been found in the man’s bag and there was “no threat”. | Cadot said no explosives had been found in the man’s bag and there was “no threat”. |
| Cadot told reporters: “We are dealing with an attack from an individual who was clearly aggressive and represented a direct threat, and whose comments lead us to believe that he wished to carry out a terrorist incident.” | Cadot told reporters: “We are dealing with an attack from an individual who was clearly aggressive and represented a direct threat, and whose comments lead us to believe that he wished to carry out a terrorist incident.” |
| He added: “There was also a second individual who was behaving suspiciously, who has also been detained, but for now there does not appear to be a link between that individual and the attack.” | He added: “There was also a second individual who was behaving suspiciously, who has also been detained, but for now there does not appear to be a link between that individual and the attack.” |
| Soldiers had been patrolling as part of the Operation Sentenelle foot-patrols around French landmarks that have been in place since the attack on the magazine Charlie Hebdo and a Paris kosher supermarket in January 2015. | Soldiers had been patrolling as part of the Operation Sentenelle foot-patrols around French landmarks that have been in place since the attack on the magazine Charlie Hebdo and a Paris kosher supermarket in January 2015. |
| A spokewoman for the Louvre said the museum was “closed for the moment” but would not confirm reports it had been evacuated. | A spokewoman for the Louvre said the museum was “closed for the moment” but would not confirm reports it had been evacuated. |
| The shooting comes with France on its highest state of alert with thousands of troops patrolling the streets following a string of attacks in the last few years. | The shooting comes with France on its highest state of alert with thousands of troops patrolling the streets following a string of attacks in the last few years. |
| The Louvre, a huge former royal palace in the heart of the city is home to the Mona Lisa and other world-famous works of art but also a shopping complex and numerous exhibition spaces. | The Louvre, a huge former royal palace in the heart of the city is home to the Mona Lisa and other world-famous works of art but also a shopping complex and numerous exhibition spaces. |
| The museum was already suffering from a fall in visitor numbers after recent attacks in France. | The museum was already suffering from a fall in visitor numbers after recent attacks in France. |
| Last year, visitor numbers slumped 15% from 2015 to around 7.3 million. | Last year, visitor numbers slumped 15% from 2015 to around 7.3 million. |