French terror suspect streamed attack on Facebook Live

THE 25-year-old man identified as the killer of two police officers near Paris recorded a 12-minute video of the attack and live-streamed it on Facebook.

French police officers work at the crime scene the day after a knife-wielding attacker stabbed a senior police officer to death on Monday evening outside his home in Magnanville, west of Paris. Picture: AP.

A FRENCHMAN once convicted of recruiting jihadi fighters stabbed a police commander to death outside his suburban Paris home, recording the attack and posting it on Facebook Live, French officials said on Tuesday.

Paris prosecutor Francois Molins told reporters that the attacker Larossi Abballa posted a 12-minute video where he also threatened to kill nonbelievers.

Abballa posted photos of the victims to his Facebook account and called for more attacks on policemen, prison guards, journalists, and rappers, citing some by name in the video.

He later said that the UEFA euro soccer tournament, currently underway across France, “will be a cemetery,” according to French media reports.

In response, French President Francois Hollande said he wants additional security efforts to be deployed and vigilance increased to “its highest level”.

In what is the first militant attack in France since a state of emergency was declared following the terror attacks in the French capital last year, the militant yelled “Allah Akbar” moments before police stormed the house in Magnaville near Paris after hours of failed negotiations.

The attacker called out the same “God is Great” in Arabic as he stabbed the 42-year-old non-uniformed police commander nine times in the stomach at the front door of his house as he returned home from work at the nearby Les Mureaux station shortly before 9pm.

A French special forces RAID vehicle leaves after an assault in Magnanville, 45 kms west of Paris. Picture: AFP/ MATTHIEU ALEXANDRE

The attacker identified by French media as 25-year-old fast food outlet worker, then took the officer’s partner, who worked as a secretary at the police station, and her three year-old son hostage inside the house that he barricaded.

Shockingly he then reportedly began posting images to social media of his victims and declaring allegiance to ISIS and warned that Europe would be reduced to a “cemetery” with further attacks particularly of police, prison guards and journalists in the name of Allah. He said a child was behind the couch in the house and “I don’t know yet what I will do with it”.

Neighbours had called police who evacuated the area and closed streets before calling in police negotiators.

Évacuation et arrivé du raid imminent pic.twitter.com/Gz17l5gbmP

— f10 (@sozDraken) June 13, 2016

After lengthy police negotiations, elite counter terrorism police launched a raid around midnight killing Abballa; the woman was found dead already but her child was rescued unharmed.

Within hours of the officer being murdered, Amaq news website linked to ISIS issued a statement claiming responsibility.

“Source to Amaq agency: Islamic State fighter kills deputy chief of the police station in the city of Les Mureaux and his wife,” Amaq said on its news website.

French media identified Abballa yesterday as having been sentenced in 2013 with seven others to three years jail, six months suspended, for criminal association with a Pakistan-based jihadi group and conspiracy to prepare acts of terrorism The group was recruiting youth to send to Pakistan for psychological and military training for jihadi attacks.

Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet said the child was “shocked but unharmed” and investigations were continuing.

“The toll is a heavy one,” Brandet said on live television, his voice heavy with emotion, shortly after loud explosions or gunfire could be heard at the house.

“This commander, this police officer was killed by the individual ... (and) we discovered the body of a woman. The assailant, the criminal was killed. Thankfully, a little boy was saved. He was in the house. He’s safe and sound. He was saved by police officers.”

Police were forced to storm the house where they found the body of the police officer’s wife, the three-year-old son was rescued unharmed. Picture: AFP/ MATTHIEU ALEXANDRE

French President Francoise Hollande yesterday convened an early morning emergency meeting in the Elysee Palace with Prime Minister Manuel Valls, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and Justice Minister Jean-Jacques Urvoas as well as state security and police chiefs. The nation has already been on high alert amid warnings of attacks during the euro 2016 football championships and a state of emergency following the November terror attacks during which 130 people were killed.

At the end of the emergency meeting, Mr Cazeneuze declared it “a despicable act of terrorism” and said the threat for further was high not just in France and Europe but across the West. He revealed French counter terrorism police had made 100 arrests already in 2016.

prise d'otage à magnanville un mec retranché dans une maison avec femmes et enfants après avoir tué le père pic.twitter.com/Df6s0N2Rih

— f10 (@sozDraken) June 13, 2016

Arrive du raid pic.twitter.com/E77OLPFPmF

— f10 (@sozDraken) June 13, 2016