Paris beheading: France reacts to decapitation of Samuel Paty

New details have emerged about the moments before a French teacher was decapitated by a terrorist. Warning: Graphic content.

The terrorist who killed a French history teacher asked pupils to point out his victim before he attacked, authorities have confirmed.

Aboulakh A, a Russian national of Chechen origin, then decapitated the teacher in the street with a kitchen knife.

The shocking attack took place at 5pm Friday (local time) in the Paris suburb of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine.

The teacher has been named as Samuel Paty, 47. He had been the target of numerous death threats after producing images of the Prophet Mohammed for a class on freedom of expression.

For Muslims, depicting the Prophet is considered blasphemous.

Samuel Paty was killed by a refugee after showing children cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.

RELATED: Man beheads teacher after children showed Prophet Mohammed cartoon

The killer had been granted a 10-year residence in France as a refugee in March. He was not known to intelligence services.

The terrorist had become furious after learning children had been shown a picture of the Prophet Mohammed.

He approached pupils in the street and asked them to point out his victim before launching the vicious assault.

He was heard to shout “Allahu Akbar - which is Arabic for God is the greatest.

He also posted a video of Mr Paty’s decapitated head on social media and issued a threat in French

He wrote: “In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. From Abdullah, the Servant of Allah, To Marcon, the leader of the infidels, I executed one of your hellhounds who dared to belittle Mohammed, calm his fellows before you are inflicted harsh punishment.”

Police officers rushed to the scene after the alarm was raised and the killer fled towards the northwestern Paris commune of Eragny-sur-Oise. He was later shot by police.

French anti-terror prosecutors said they were treating the assault as “a murder linked to a terrorist organisation” and related to a “criminal association with terrorists”.

A post allegedly made by the attacker, now deleted. Picture: Twitter.

A picture of a body lying in the road was shared on Twitter after French anti-terror prosecutors confirmed a man had been decapitated.

A colleague of Mr Paty said: “Samuel had angered parents by showing a picture of a nude Prophet Mohammed to kids in his freedom of expression class, and there had been threats against him”.

The image was the same one published by satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in 2015.

Mr Paty had previously been “concerned for his safety” after receiving death threats, a colleague claimed.

Samuel Paty was killed by a refugee after showing children cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.

He had reportedly invited Muslim pupils to leave the room before showing the cartoon around 10 days ago.

But one student stayed behind and later told her parents, who filed a complaint against Mr Paty.

A video was then posted online branding the teacher a “thug” as the community was urged to complain about the lesson.

Authorities have arrested at least nine people following the brutal murder.

Four relatives of the attacker, including a minor, were detained immediately after the attack.

Five more people have been arrested since then, including two parents of pupils at the College du Bois d’Aulne, where the teacher was employed.

Around the world there was an outpouring of grief and shock on social media.

I can't stop thinking about Samuel Paty. God rest his soul, what an awful, awful thing.

— Joanna Cannon (@JoannaCannon) October 17, 2020

Teacher beheaded by Islamist radicals in Paris for showing a cartoon of Mohammed. May Samuel Paty's memory be an inspiration to stand up for free speech and free expression, and against intolerance and extremism. #JeSuisSamuel https://t.co/urznTXtdtu

— Frida Ghitis (@FridaGhitis) October 17, 2020

Following horrific news of a teacher, Samuel Paty, 47, beheaded in the name of religious extremism near Paris:

I stand w/ France 🇫🇷 in grief.

I stand w/ France 🇫🇷 in outrage.

I stand w/ France 🇫🇷 in defense of democracy.

I stand w/ France 🇫🇷 in unity.

Let’s all speak up. pic.twitter.com/474GbnQqAA

— David Harris (@DavidHarrisAJC) October 17, 2020

Samuel Paty. Victime du terrorisme Islamiste. #WeFailedYou
May your soul rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/9YR0HArY9c

— keren ann (@KerenAnnMusic) October 17, 2020

Heartbroken colleagues and pupils held white roses and signs reading “Je Suis Enseignant” - meaning “I am a teacher” as they paid tribute to Mr Paty.

Others have posted on Twitter using the hashtag “Je Suis Prof” in solidarity with the slain teacher.