Three people have been killed in a knife attack in the French city of Nice, police say.
Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi said there had been a “terrorist attack at the heart of the Notre-Dame basilica”.
One elderly victim who had come to pray was “virtually beheaded”. The suspect was detained shortly after the attack.
Mr Estrosi spoke of “Islamo-fascism” and that the suspect had “repeated endlessly ‘Allahu Akbar’ (God is greatest).”
France’s national anti-terror prosecutors has opened a murder inquiry.
What is known about the attack?
Two of those who died were attacked inside the church, the elderly woman and a man who was found with his throat cut, reports said.
A woman who had managed to flee to a nearby cafe was stabbed several times and died later.
It later emerged that a witness had managed to raise the alarm with a special protection system set up by the city.
In a separate development, a guard has been attacked at the French consulate in the Saudi city of Jeddah. The consulate said the attacker had been arrested and the guard had been taken to hospital. His life is not said to be in danger. (BBC)
