French Authorities Investigate “Terrorist Plot” After Stabbing Attack in Paris; Victim Identified as German-Filipino Citizen

Accident – Death – Obituary News : Man with Radical Islamism and Mental Health Troubles Commits Stabbing Attack in Paris

Late on Saturday night, a man with a history of radical Islamism and mental health issues stabbed a tourist to death and injured two others in central Paris. French authorities have opened an investigation into what is suspected to be a “terrorist plot”. The attack occurred near the Eiffel Tower at around 9:00 pm, during a busy weekend in the city.

The suspect, Armand Rajabpour-Miyandoab, a French national born in 1997 to Iranian parents, was apprehended shortly after the knife and hammer attack. Prosecutors specializing in terrorist incidents are looking into the case and suspect him of murder in connection with the death of a 23-year-old German-Filipino citizen. The suspect will also face charges of attempted murder against a 66-year-old British citizen and a 60-year-old French national, both of whom were wounded in the attack.

Rajabpour-Miyandoab, who had been under the authorities’ radar and was receiving treatment for mental illness, shouted “Allahu Akbar” (Arabic for “God is greatest”) during the assault, according to Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, who was present at the scene near Bir Hakeim bridge over the River Seine. When questioned by the police, the suspect expressed his anger over the killings of Muslims in Afghanistan and Palestine. He accused France of being complicit in Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip.

The attack has prompted strong reactions from French officials. Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne stated, “We will not give in to terrorism,” while President Emmanuel Macron sent his condolences to the family of the victim, referring to the incident as a “terrorist attack”.

Authorities have discovered that the attacker had posted a video on social media, claiming responsibility for the attack. In the video, he discussed “current events, the government, and the murder of innocent Muslims”. Investigators will delve into his medical history, as sources describe the attacker as “very unstable and easily influenced”. Questions have been raised about whether he received adequate medical supervision.

This is not the first time the suspect has been involved in criminal activities. In 2016, he was sentenced to four years in prison for planning another attack in the La Defense business district in Paris, which he failed to execute. During the recent attack, a taxi driver intervened, saving the wife of the slain tourist. The attacker then crossed the bridge and attacked others, injuring one person with a hammer. The pursuing police used a taser to neutralize the assailant before making the arrest.

Joseph S., a 37-year-old supermarket manager who witnessed the scene from a nearby bar, described hearing screams and people shouting for help as they ran. He saw a man wielding a hammer attacking a fallen individual, and within a few minutes, the police arrived.

France has experienced several attacks by Islamist extremists, including the infamous November 2015 suicide and gun attacks in Paris, which claimed the lives of 130 people and were claimed by the Islamic State group. Although there has been a relative lull in such incidents in recent years, officials have repeatedly warned that the threat remains.

Tensions have escalated in France, home to significant Jewish and Muslim populations, following the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas. The security situation in Paris is particularly under scrutiny as the city prepares to host the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.

In a separate incident in October, a young radicalized Islamist from Russia’s Caucasus region killed a teacher named Dominique Bernard in the northern town of Arras..