Death – Obituary – Accident and Crime News : Paris Attack: Man Who Stabbed Tourist Near Eiffel Tower Swore Allegiance to ISIS
In a shocking incident near the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris, a man stabbed a tourist to death and pledged his allegiance to the Islamic State group in a video posted on social media, according to French anti-terrorist prosecutors. The attacker, identified as Armand Rajabpour-Miyandoab, is a French national born in 1997 to Iranian parents. He was known to authorities as a radicalized Islamist and had connections to perpetrators of previous attacks in France.
Senior prosecutor Jean-Francois Ricard revealed that the assailant had been under close psychological surveillance due to mental health issues. In fact, as recently as October, the attacker’s mother had expressed concerns about his behavior. However, at the time, there was insufficient evidence to take legal action.
The attack took place late Saturday when France is on high alert due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, as well as a series of lone-wolf attacks in the country. Rajabpour-Miyandoab killed a 23-year-old German-Filipino citizen using a hammer and a knife. He then shouted “Allahu Akbar” (God is greatest) and fled the scene. The attacker struck two more individuals with a hammer before being apprehended by the police.
Authorities discovered that Rajabpour-Miyandoab had posted numerous messages on social media expressing support for Hamas, Gaza, and Palestine. In a video posted in Arabic, he declared his allegiance to ISIS and expressed his support for jihadists in various countries.
The attacker had a history of radicalization and had consumed significant amounts of ISIS propaganda. In 2016, he had plans to join the terrorist group in Iraq or Syria. Although he did not exchange messages with the individual who later killed two police officers in Magnanville, they were friends on Facebook.
Rajabpour-Miyandoab had also been under compulsory psychiatric treatment until April of this year. Health Minister Aurelien Rousseau clarified that he was not hospitalized but closely monitored for his mental health issues.
Following the attack, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne and other ministers held a security meeting, vowing not to give in to terrorism. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin emphasized the need for a strong penal response and proposed compulsory treatment for individuals with mental health issues who are believed to be radicalized.
France has experienced several attacks by Islamist extremists, including the devastating November 2015 attacks in Paris. The recent tensions between Israel and Hamas have further heightened the security concerns in the country, which is home to significant Jewish and Muslim populations.