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French national born in Chechnya, links to Islamists: What we know about Paris attacker so far French national born in Chechnya, links to Islamists: What we know about Paris attacker so far
(about 5 hours later)
The man who stabbed one person to death and injured several others in Paris was a French national who was born in Chechnya, local media report, adding that the assailant had been monitored for links to radical Islamists. The man who stabbed one person to death and injured several others in Paris was a French national who was born in Chechnya, according to local media reports.
Police found no documentation on the attacker, but investigators identified him by his fingerprints, Europe1 radio station reported on Sunday. The assailant, who was killed by police following the attack at Place de l'Opera in central Paris on Saturday, is also thought to have been monitored by authorities for links to radical Islamists. A judicial source confirmed to AFP that the man was “French, born in Chechnya in 1997.” His mother and father have been taken into custody for questioning, the source added.
READ MORE: French authorities investigating Paris stabbing as terrorismREAD MORE: French authorities investigating Paris stabbing as terrorism
A judicial source confirmed to AFP that the man was “French, born in Chechnya in 1997.” His mother and father have been taken into custody for questioning, the source added. Earlier, reports in BFMTV and Le Parisien suggested that the assailant was Russian.   Police also arrested a friend of the man in the eastern city of Strasbourg. He is currently being held for questioning.
The attacker has been identified by France 2 channel as Khamzat Azimov, France Info reported. He was born in Russia but received French citizenship in 2010, the report added. Azimov had been on the Fiche S list since 2016. According to France Info, he was also registered in the File for the Prevention of Terrorist Radicalization (FSPRT). The attacker has been identified by France 2 as Khamzat Azimov, a 20-year-old Russian-born immigrant who received French citizenship in 2010. According to AFP, Azimov had been on a list of people considered to pose a threat to national security, known as the ‘Fiche S,’ since 2016. France Info reports that he was also registered in the File for the Prevention of Terrorist Radicalization (FSPRT). He had no criminal record, judicial sources said.
The knife attacker was reportedly listed on Fiche S, an indicator used in France to flag individuals considered a threat to national security who should be kept under constant watch, sources close to the investigation told AFP.  According to Europe 1, Azimov was monitored for his connections in “radical Islamic circles.”BFMTV reports that he had specific, indirect links with “a person in Syria.”
He had no criminal record, however, judicial sources said.According to Europe 1, the 20-year old was monitored for his connections in “radical Islamic circles.”BFMTV reports that he had specific, indirect links with “a person in Syria.” The attacker reportedly shouted “Allahu akbar” during the attack in which five people were injured, two of them critically. One of the victims, a 29-year-old man, later succumbed to his injuries. Police found no documentation on the attacker, but investigators identified him by his fingerprints, Europe1 radio station reported on Sunday.
Earlier, RTL reported that the man was not listed on Fiche S. 
Shouting “Allahu akbar,” the attacker injured five people, two of them critically, on Saturday evening. One of the victims, a 29-year-old man, later succumbed to his injuries.
“At this stage, on the basis of testimonies mentioning the fact that the aggressor shouted 'Allahu akbar' when attacking passersby with a knife, given the modus operandi, we dispatched the anti-terrorist section of the prosecutor's office,” Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said.“At this stage, on the basis of testimonies mentioning the fact that the aggressor shouted 'Allahu akbar' when attacking passersby with a knife, given the modus operandi, we dispatched the anti-terrorist section of the prosecutor's office,” Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said.
Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) claimed responsibility for the attack, the group’s affiliated website Amaq said. However, investigators have not verified the organization’s claim.Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) claimed responsibility for the attack, the group’s affiliated website Amaq said. However, investigators have not verified the organization’s claim.
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