Three women, including one who was pregnant, were stabbed in a broad-daylight knife attack in Paris on Monday after a man armed with two kitchen knives targeted passers-by near Porte de Clichy.
The women, aged 19, 24 and 36, suffered serious injuries and were taken to hospital, where at least one of the women is in critical condition. A 31-year-old man was arrested at the scene by an off-duty police officer after bystanders helped restrain him. The suspect repeatedly said, "It was Allah who ordered me," while being restrained. Videos circulating on social media appear to show him lunging toward one of the victims before members of the public pinned him to the ground using a chair until police arrived.
The French anti-terrorism prosecutor's office said it was monitoring the investigation being conducted by the Paris prosecutor's office but has not yet announced the opening of a terrorism investigation. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said investigators were examining whether mental health issues played a significant role. "We need to be very careful with respect to the motives for this very violent attack," Nunez said.
The attack unfolded between the brasserie Les Deux Coupoles and the Porte de Clichy tram stop in north-west Paris. Authorities have not publicly identified the suspect. The stabbing comes just days after another high-profile attack in Europe. On Saturday, Human Events reported how an Islamist extremist drove a rented minivan into a Pride parade in Berlin, killing one woman and injuring 29 others before being shot dead by police. The attacker was later identified as 21-year-old Abdul Ballout.
French investigators are continuing to examine Monday's knife attack, including the suspect's mental state and the statements he made during his arrest.
