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Decapitated body and Islamist flag found in attack on factory in France Decapitated body found in attack on factory in France
(about 1 hour later)
Related: Suspected terror attack at French factory - live updatesRelated: Suspected terror attack at French factory - live updates
France has launched a terrorism investigation after police found a decapitated body and a flag with Islamist inscriptions following an apparent attack on a factory belonging to a US gas company in the south-east of the country. France has launched a terrorism investigation after police found a decapitated body and a flag with Islamist inscriptions after an attack on a factory belonging to a US gas company in the south-east of the country.
The incident began at about 10am (0800 GMT) when two people apparently drove a car into the factory – believed to belong to US multinational Air Products, in Saint-Quentin-Fallavier – and detonated gas canisters. The attack left one person dead and several wounded, according to police sources and French media. “It is a terror attack. There is no doubt about it,” the country’s president, François Hollande, told reporters in Brussels before leaving a European council summit to return to Paris.
Local reports said a human head was found at the site, as well as a flag bearing Islamist inscriptions. A police source told Reuters he understood this was the case. A decapitated body found at the scene had “a message written on it”, Hollande said, without elaborating. The attack left one person dead and two injured, he said.
Reuters cited one source as saying a man had been arrested, and that he was previously known to French intelligence sources. The interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, said a firefighter had killed one of the attackers and another had been arrested. The detainee was still to be identified, but he was thought to be Yessim Salim, he said.
The assailant entered the factory near Lyon and set off several small explosive devices. A decapitated body was found nearby, a separate legal source told Agence France-Presse. Details of the attack remained unclear three hours after police were first called at about 10am (0800 GMT).
“According to the initial findings of the inquiry, one or several individuals on board a vehicle drove into the factory. An explosion then took place,” the source said. According to a source linked to the investigation and quoted by Agence France-Presse, the incident began when “one or several individuals” drove a vehicle into a factory belonging to the US multinational Air Products in Saint-Quentin-Fallavier, near Lyon. There was then an explosion, which some reports said was apparently caused by gas canisters.
“The decapitated body of a person was found nearby the factory but we do not yet know whether the body was transported to the place or not,” added the source, who also said a flag with Arabic writing on it was found at the scene. Another security source told the Associated Press a severed head was found on top of the gate at the entrance to the factory. The official said the body was found near the site of the explosion, and that it seemed the blast was not the cause of the decapitation.
The French Interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, was heading immediately to the scene, his office said. Two flags, one white and one black, both with Arabic inscriptions, were found at the scene, the same source told AP.
Air Products confirmed there had been an incident at its factory and said all staff had been evacuated.
“We can confirm that an incident occurred at our facility in L’Isle-d’Abeau, France this morning,” a statement said. “Our priority at this stage is to take care of our employees, who have been evacuated from the site and all accounted for.
“Emergency services are on site and have contained the situation. The site is secure. Our crisis and emergency response teams have been activated and are working closely with all relevant authorities.”
Hollande, who said he would return immediately to the Élysée palace, said the vehicle was crashed into the building with “clearly an intention to cause damage”. Police and troops had been deployed and “all measures are being taken to prevent any other tragedies”, he added.
France has been on alert for possible Islamist-related attacks since gunmen killed 17 people in January in assaults on the offices of the Charlie Hebdo satirical weekly and a Jewish food store.France has been on alert for possible Islamist-related attacks since gunmen killed 17 people in January in assaults on the offices of the Charlie Hebdo satirical weekly and a Jewish food store.
Two brothers attacked the satirical magazine, killing 12. A policewoman and four hostages in a Jewish supermarket were also killed during the three-day attack. Hollande said the response to such attacks should be measured: “We all remember what has happened in our country, and in other countries. There is a lot of emotion, but emotion is not the only answer. We need action, deterrence, and we need to spread out values and to never give in to fear.”
The British leader, David Cameron, spoke to Hollande on Friday, Reuters cited an unnamed official as saying. “The prime minister has just spoken to President Hollande to express his sympathies for what looks like an appalling incident there,” they said. “It clearly looks an extremely concerning situation and our thoughts are with all those affected by it.”
Air Products, based in Pennsylvania, supplies gases, chemicals and associated equipment. It has 20,000 employees and outlets in 50 countries.Air Products, based in Pennsylvania, supplies gases, chemicals and associated equipment. It has 20,000 employees and outlets in 50 countries.
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