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Catholic clergyman killed in France, suspect reportedly under police supervision for arson of cathedral | Catholic clergyman killed in France, suspect reportedly under police supervision for arson of cathedral |
(32 minutes later) | |
A Catholic priest has been killed in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sevre, a commune in the Vendee, by a man who had reportedly been placed under police supervision, having set fire to a cathedral in Nantes in 2020. | |
On Monday, a Catholic clergyman was found dead in the town of Saint-Laurent-sur-Sevre. Sources told French news outlet BFM TV that the suspect had already turned himself in to the police.Police have said they are not currently treating the incident as an act of terrorism. | |
In a tweet, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin confirmed the horrific incident and announced that he would travel to the scene of the crime. “[I offer] all my support for the Catholics of our country after the dramatic assassination of a priest in Vendee.” | |
The victim has been identified as Father Olivier Maire by Bruno Retailleau, senator of the Vendée, who described in a tweet the clergyman’s death as “a great loss.” | |
Retailleau stated that Maire had been hosting the perpetrator at the time. “His death testifies to the kindness of this priest whom I knew well and whose depth of faith I had been able to appreciate,” he added. | |
Sources told BFM TV that the suspect had already served prison time for his role in a fire at Nantes Cathedral in 2020 and was under police supervision. | |
As part of his supervision, he had been hosted for several months by the community of Montfortians. Maire was reportedly the chair of the community. | |
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