by Sophie Saint Firmin, Contributing Writer
A French soldier shot and critically wounded a man who attempted an attack at the Paris Louvre on Friday, Feb. 3.
The man was armed with a machete and carried two bags on his back as he rushed toward a group of soldiers and guards in the Carousel du Louvre, the underground plaza adjacent the museum, according to Paris Police Chief Michel Cadot.
French media reported that the man shouted “Allahu Akbar” (Allah is greatest) and attacked a soldier before being shot in the stomach. “The soldier fired five bullets,” Cadot said, describing how the man forcefully rushed towards the soldiers. The attacker was taken to a hospital for treatment, CNN’s French affiliate BFM TV reported.
Investigators identified the attacker as Abdallah El Hamahmy, an Egyptian native who entered France eight days prior to the attack after obtaining a tourist visa in Dubai, according to The Washington Post.
The suspect’s father and family members have been questioned by Dubai media and security officials and are claiming no connection to terrorists or radicals, according to TIME.
The attack, which French President François Hollande stated was clearly an act of terrorism, according to TIME. This was the latest in a series of fatal assaults in France over the last two years, most of which were claimed by militant Islamic groups, according to France 24. More than 230 people have been killed in these attacks in the past two years.
No explosives were found in the assailant’s bag, but later a document in which El Hamahmy had professed his allegiance to ISIL was found among his belongings, French police reported.
Paris prosecutor Francois Molins stated that it is unknown if the assailant “acted on instruction” from abroad or “alone and spontaneously,” according to The Washington Post.
Police sequestered and evacuated the area around the museum on Friday. Officials at the Louvre, the historic home of the Mona Lisa, said the museum was closed and all the visitors were kept inside until it was safe to leave, reported The Washington Post.
Despite the attack, the Louvre reopened the following day, Saturday, Feb. 4, according to TIME.
France is less than three months away from a presidential election and has been living under a state of emergency since November 2015, the BBC reported. Security and terrorism fears are among the key issues in the coming election, but it seems these issues will not stop Paris from vying for the 2024 Summer Olympics, according to France 24.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said, “This terrorist threat concerns all the cities in the world. We have extremely efficient security services in our city,” reported France 24.