Clown-faced politicians and cinema mix at Nice Carnival

Nice has become the latest French seaside resort to ban the burkini, the body-concealing Islamic swimsuit that has sparked heated debate in secular France, city officials said on Friday. 
 
Using language similar to bans imposed in a string of other towns on the French Riviera, the city barred apparel that &quot;overtly manifests adherence to a religion at a time when France and places of worship are the target of terrorist attacks&quot;. 
 
The wording of the ban in Nice refers specifically to last month&#39;s Bastille Day truck attack in the city that claimed 86 lives as well as the murder 12 days later of a Catholic priest near the northern city of Rouen. 
 
Fifteen towns in the southeast, as well as others elsewhere in France, have already banned the burkini including nearby film festival host city Cannes, where three women were each fined 38 euros ($43) under the ban at the weekend. 
 
Nice&#39;s deputy mayor Christian Estrosi, from the centre-right Republicans party, wrote in a letter to Prime Minister Manuel Valls on Tuesday that &quot;hiding the face or wearing a full-body costume to go to the beach is not in keeping with our ideal of social relations&quot;. 
 
Valls came under fire after saying on Wednesday that the burkini was &quot;not compatible with the values of France and the Republic&quot;. 
 
The Socialist premier cited the tensions in France after the jihadist attacks to justify his support for the mayors who barred a garment that he said was &quot;founded on the subjugation of women&quot;. 
 
France&#39;s Human Rights League accused Valls of &quot;participating in the stigmatisation of a category of French people who have become suspect by virtue of their faith&quot;. 
 
Burkinis are a rare sight on French beaches, where a small minority of Muslim women can be seen bathing in ordinary clothes and wearing headscarves. 
 
Islamic dress has long been a subject of debate in France, which was the first European country to ban the Islamic face veil in public in 2010, six years after outlawing the headscarf and other conspicuous religious symbols in state schools. 
 
Meanwhile, the imam of Florence, Italy, triggered a storm on Friday by posting on his Facebook page a picture of a group of eight nuns, veiled and dressed in their habits, on a beach. 
 
Izzedin Elzir, who is also president of the Union of Islamic Communities of Italy (UCOII), posted the picture without a caption but unwittingly sparked a wave of criticism. 
 
The image was shared more than 2,000 times and drew many negative comments. Facebook blocked Elzir&#39;s profile page for several hours after receiving hostile notifications from users. 
 
Interviewed on Sky Tg24 television, Elzir said he had simply sought to stir a &quot;positive debate&quot; and in fact had received messages from &quot;very many Christians&quot; to thank him. 
 
He said he posted the picture &quot;to respond to those who say that... western values are different in the way people dress and cover their body&quot;. 
 
&quot;I meant that part of western values comes from Christianity... and you can see that Christian roots are also derived from people who cover themselves almost completely.&quot; 
 
Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said on Tuesday that Italy would not ban the burkini, saying the measure would be fruitless and even counter-productive, as it could cause a potential backlash. 
 
(AFP)

The French town said the apparel 'overtly adhered to a religion' at a time when the country is in the grips of cascading terror attacks

Nice has become the latest French seaside resort to ban the burkini, the body-concealing Islamic swimsuit that has sparked heated debate in secular France, city officials said on Friday. Using language similar to bans imposed in a string of other towns on the French Riviera, the city barred apparel that "overtly manifests adherence to a religion at a time when France and places of worship are the target of terrorist attacks". The wording of the ban in Nice refers specifically to last month's Bastille Day truck attack in the city that claimed 86 lives as well as the murder 12 days later of a Catholic priest near the northern city of Rouen. Fifteen towns in the southeast, as well as others elsewhere in France, have already banned the burkini including nearby film festival host city Cannes, where three women were each fined 38 euros ($43) under the ban at the weekend. Nice's deputy mayor Christian Estrosi, from the centre-right Republicans party, wrote in a letter to Prime Minister Manuel Valls on Tuesday that "hiding the face or wearing a full-body costume to go to the beach is not in keeping with our ideal of social relations". Valls came under fire after saying on Wednesday that the burkini was "not compatible with the values of France and the Republic". The Socialist premier cited the tensions in France after the jihadist attacks to justify his support for the mayors who barred a garment that he said was "founded on the subjugation of women". France's Human Rights League accused Valls of "participating in the stigmatisation of a category of French people who have become suspect by virtue of their faith". Burkinis are a rare sight on French beaches, where a small minority of Muslim women can be seen bathing in ordinary clothes and wearing headscarves. Islamic dress has long been a subject of debate in France, which was the first European country to ban the Islamic face veil in public in 2010, six years after outlawing the headscarf and other conspicuous religious symbols in state schools. Meanwhile, the imam of Florence, Italy, triggered a storm on Friday by posting on his Facebook page a picture of a group of eight nuns, veiled and dressed in their habits, on a beach. Izzedin Elzir, who is also president of the Union of Islamic Communities of Italy (UCOII), posted the picture without a caption but unwittingly sparked a wave of criticism. The image was shared more than 2,000 times and drew many negative comments. Facebook blocked Elzir's profile page for several hours after receiving hostile notifications from users. Interviewed on Sky Tg24 television, Elzir said he had simply sought to stir a "positive debate" and in fact had received messages from "very many Christians" to thank him. He said he posted the picture "to respond to those who say that... western values are different in the way people dress and cover their body". "I meant that part of western values comes from Christianity... and you can see that Christian roots are also derived from people who cover themselves almost completely." Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said on Tuesday that Italy would not ban the burkini, saying the measure would be fruitless and even counter-productive, as it could cause a potential backlash. (AFP)

Nice latest town in French riviera to impose ban on burkini

Five suspects have been formally charged over the truck terror attack in the French riveria city of Nice that killed 84 people, the Paris prosecutor said on Thursday. 
 
Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, who mowed down a crowd enjoying Bastille Day fireworks display, had long plotted the carnage, prosecutor Francois Molins said. 
 
The revelations come as the French government continues to be plagued by questions over possible security failings, prompting authorities to launch an investigation into potential oversights. 
 
Molins said photos on Bouhlel&#39;s phone showed he had likely already staked out the same July 14 event in 2015. 
 
It also emerged that one of the five suspects in custody, a Tunisian named Mohamed Oualid G, had filmed the scene the day after the carnage, as it crawled with paramedics and journalists. 
 
The five were brought before anti-terrorism judges late Thursday and charged. 
 
They are 22-year-old Franco-Tunisian Ramzi A, 37-year-old Tunisian Chokri C, 40-year-old Tunisian Mohamed Oualid G, 38-year-old Albanian Artan H, and his wife Enkeledja Z who holds both French and Albanian nationality. 
 
None were known to intelligence services, and only Ramzi A, who was born in Nice, had a criminal record, for robbery and drug offences. 
 
He led police to a Kalashnikov and a bag of ammunition on Thursday, however the purpose of the weapons was unclear. 
 
Ramzi, Chokri and Oualid were charged with being accomplices to murder by a terror group. 
 
Ramzi and the Albanian couple faced a second charge, of breaking the law on firearms in relation to a terrorist crime. They are accused of providing Bouhlel with the gun he fired at police officers before he was shot dead. 
 
More than 400 investigators have been poring over evidence since the attack, the third in France in 18 months, and it was analysis of Bouhlel&#39;s telephone records that led them to the five suspects. 
 
While the Islamic State group claimed the attack, describing Bouhlel as a &quot;soldier&quot;, investigators have not found direct proof of his allegiance to the jihadists. 
 
Many people interviewed by investigators described the Tunisian father of three as &quot;someone who did not practise the Muslim religion, ate pork, drank alcohol, took drugs and had an unbridled sexual activity&quot;, Molins said earlier this week. 
 
However initial details of the investigation revealed Bouhlel had been fascinated with jihad for a while. 
 
In May last year, he took a photo of an article about the drug Captagon, an amphetamine used by jihadists in Syria. 
 
&#39;I am not Charlie&#39;&nbsp; 
 
In July 2015 he took photos of the crowd at the Bastille Day fireworks display, as well as another crowd watching a concert on Nice&#39;s Promenade Des Anglais three days later. 
 
In April this year, Chokri C sent Bouhlel a Facebook message reading: &quot;Load the truck with 2,000 tonnes of iron... release the brakes my friend and I will watch&quot;. 
 
Investigators also found a text message in Bouhlel&#39;s phone from Mohamed Oualid in January 2015, roughly a year after attacks on the Charlie Hebdo satirical weekly which spawned the hashtag &quot;I am Charlie&quot; in support of those killed. 
 
The message read: &quot;I am not Charlie... I am happy they have brought soldiers of Allah to finish the job.&quot; 
 
Analyses of Bouhlel&#39;s computer and cellphone showed a wide range of images and internet searches showing a fascination with violence and jihadist movements such as al-Qaeda and IS. 
 
His family and friends have described him as violent and possibly suffering from mental illness. 
 
Former FBI profiler Mary Ellen O&#39;Toole said the majority of his reported character traits are &quot;only seen collectively in someone who is psychopathic&quot;. 
 
&quot;This is probably one of the most callous crimes you and I have ever heard of, it&#39;s very cold-blooded and it&#39;s predatory,&quot; she said. 
 
State of emergency extended&nbsp; 
 
French President Francois Hollande on Thursday promised &quot;truth and transparency&quot; from an inquiry into allegations of lax security. 
 
&quot;When there is a tragedy, or in this case an attack with many dead... there will naturally be questions,&quot; Hollande said during a visit to Dublin, adding that the conclusions of the police probe would be announced next week. 
 
On Thursday, parliament finalised the adoption of a bill extending the emergency laws for a fourth time, after it was toughened up by the rightwing-dominated Senate. 
 
The final version bans gatherings where sufficient security cannot be provided and makes it easier to shut places of worship where preachers incite hate or violence. 
 
Since November the authorities have had emergency powers to carry out searches by day or night and place people under house arrest. 
 
(AFP)

Analysis of terrorist Bouhlel's telephone records led the investigators to the five other suspects, none of whom were on intelligence radar

Five suspects have been formally charged over the truck terror attack in the French riveria city of Nice that killed 84 people, the Paris prosecutor said on Thursday. Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, who mowed down a crowd enjoying Bastille Day fireworks display, had long plotted the carnage, prosecutor Francois Molins said. The revelations come as the French government continues to be plagued by questions over possible security failings, prompting authorities to launch an investigation into potential oversights. Molins said photos on Bouhlel's phone showed he had likely already staked out the same July 14 event in 2015. It also emerged that one of the five suspects in custody, a Tunisian named Mohamed Oualid G, had filmed the scene the day after the carnage, as it crawled with paramedics and journalists. The five were brought before anti-terrorism judges late Thursday and charged. They are 22-year-old Franco-Tunisian Ramzi A, 37-year-old Tunisian Chokri C, 40-year-old Tunisian Mohamed Oualid G, 38-year-old Albanian Artan H, and his wife Enkeledja Z who holds both French and Albanian nationality. None were known to intelligence services, and only Ramzi A, who was born in Nice, had a criminal record, for robbery and drug offences. He led police to a Kalashnikov and a bag of ammunition on Thursday, however the purpose of the weapons was unclear. Ramzi, Chokri and Oualid were charged with being accomplices to murder by a terror group. Ramzi and the Albanian couple faced a second charge, of breaking the law on firearms in relation to a terrorist crime. They are accused of providing Bouhlel with the gun he fired at police officers before he was shot dead. More than 400 investigators have been poring over evidence since the attack, the third in France in 18 months, and it was analysis of Bouhlel's telephone records that led them to the five suspects. While the Islamic State group claimed the attack, describing Bouhlel as a "soldier", investigators have not found direct proof of his allegiance to the jihadists. Many people interviewed by investigators described the Tunisian father of three as "someone who did not practise the Muslim religion, ate pork, drank alcohol, took drugs and had an unbridled sexual activity", Molins said earlier this week. However initial details of the investigation revealed Bouhlel had been fascinated with jihad for a while. In May last year, he took a photo of an article about the drug Captagon, an amphetamine used by jihadists in Syria. 'I am not Charlie' In July 2015 he took photos of the crowd at the Bastille Day fireworks display, as well as another crowd watching a concert on Nice's Promenade Des Anglais three days later. In April this year, Chokri C sent Bouhlel a Facebook message reading: "Load the truck with 2,000 tonnes of iron... release the brakes my friend and I will watch". Investigators also found a text message in Bouhlel's phone from Mohamed Oualid in January 2015, roughly a year after attacks on the Charlie Hebdo satirical weekly which spawned the hashtag "I am Charlie" in support of those killed. The message read: "I am not Charlie... I am happy they have brought soldiers of Allah to finish the job." Analyses of Bouhlel's computer and cellphone showed a wide range of images and internet searches showing a fascination with violence and jihadist movements such as al-Qaeda and IS. His family and friends have described him as violent and possibly suffering from mental illness. Former FBI profiler Mary Ellen O'Toole said the majority of his reported character traits are "only seen collectively in someone who is psychopathic". "This is probably one of the most callous crimes you and I have ever heard of, it's very cold-blooded and it's predatory," she said. State of emergency extended French President Francois Hollande on Thursday promised "truth and transparency" from an inquiry into allegations of lax security. "When there is a tragedy, or in this case an attack with many dead... there will naturally be questions," Hollande said during a visit to Dublin, adding that the conclusions of the police probe would be announced next week. On Thursday, parliament finalised the adoption of a bill extending the emergency laws for a fourth time, after it was toughened up by the rightwing-dominated Senate. The final version bans gatherings where sufficient security cannot be provided and makes it easier to shut places of worship where preachers incite hate or violence. Since November the authorities have had emergency powers to carry out searches by day or night and place people under house arrest. (AFP)

Five charged over France truck attack

Victims of the Nice truck attack included three generations of a family out for a stroll, a Frenchman protecting his pregnant wife and a former Soviet soldier. 
 
The Bastille Day assault killed 84 people of all ages -- including 10 children -- who had been out enjoying a fireworks display on a warm summer evening. The dead came from at least 12 countries. 
 
More than 300 people were also injured when the Tunisian driver slammed his truck into the crowd on the seaside promenade on Thursday.&nbsp; 
 
Here are some of the victims&#39; stories. 
 
Four-year-old Yanis C, described by his father Michael in local media as &quot;a rascal, a scallywag, always smiling&quot;, was playing with other children a few feet from his parents when he was hit.&nbsp; 
 
Mehdi H was the 12-year-old son of a Nice football referee who also lost his sister-in-law in the attack. His twin sister is in a coma. 
 
Another 12-year-old, Amie V, was the daughter of a magazine journalist based in Nice. 
 
One 14-year-old boy who is in a critical condition will wake up to the death of his mother, Christine Fabry, 67, and her partner Hugues Mismarck. His sister is injured and 17-year-old brother is missing. 
 
Christophe Lyon, the former head of a rugby club, lost his wife, parents, parents-in-law and his wife`s son in the attack. 
 
They were grandparents Francois, 82, and Christiane Locatelli, 78, their daughter Veronique Lyon, 55, and grandson Michael Pellegrini, 28. His parents were Gisele and Germain Lyon. 
 
Laurence Tavet, 49, who was married to an Algerian, was killed with two of her grandchildren. One of them, seven-year-old Yanis, had come to visit her on his holidays, the Algerian foreign ministry said. 
 
Tunisian national Olfa Bent Souayah Khalfallah, 31, was with her four-year-old son on a family holiday from their home in Lyon, France. 
 
Her devastated husband searched for their son for more than two days before discovering that the little boy had also been killed. 
 
Timothe Fournier, a 27-year-old Parisian, died after pushing his seven-months-pregnant wife out of the truck`s deadly path, his cousin Anais told AFP. 
 
&quot;He was a great guy,&quot; she said. &quot;A young dreamer, but someone who was always there for his family.&quot; 
 
A Texas-based newspaper identified the two Americans killed as baseball coach Sean Copeland, 51, and his 11-year-old son Brodie, who were on a family vacation in Europe. 
 
&quot;They are so loved,&quot; the Austin American-Statesman quoted the family as saying in a statement. 
 
Sisters Magdalena, 21, and Marzena Chrzanowska, 20, were on holiday with their two other sisters when they were killed, the priest in their hometown of Krzyszkowice, Poland, told AFP. 
 
Slain Russian tourist Victoria Savchenko, a 20-year-old student, was also holidaying in the French Riviera resort. 
 
Fatima Charrihi, 60, a Nice resident and mother of seven, was among the first to be killed by the driver, her son Hamza told local media. 
 
He described her as &quot;an extraordinary mum&quot; and a devout Muslim who practised &quot;real Islam, not that of the terrorists&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
Madagascan mother Mino Razafitrimo, 31, was with her two children aged four and six, who survived. She was a &quot;joyous person very involved with the Malagasy community in Nice&quot;, a friend told AFP. 
 
A teacher and two of her students from Berlin`s Paula-Fuerst School were killed, the Berlin mayor&#39;s office said. 
 
American student Nicolas Leslie was also killed, the University of California, Berkeley said. The 20-year-old had been in the French city as part of Berkeley`s study abroad programme. 
 
Men and women of all professions were among the dead. 
 
Former Soviet soldier Igor Sheleshko, 47, was a father-of-four who held both Russian and Belgian nationality. 
 
He had been living in Nice for four months, said Andrey Eliseev, arch-priest of the Saint-Nicolas cathedral who described him as &quot;a pious man&quot;. 
 
The priest named another victim as Roman Ekmaliyan, a Georgian businessman of Armenian origin who had lived in Belgium. The 56-year-old was &quot;very intelligent on all topics -- interested in history, politics&quot;. 
 
Robert Marchand, 60, was an athletics trainer from Marcigny, a small town in central France. He had raised the town`s club &quot;to a very high level&quot;, mayor Louis Poncet told AFP.&nbsp; 
 
Also killed was border police commissioner Emmanuel Grout, 45, who was off duty, local media said. 
 
And David Bonnet, a 44-year-old fish farmer, was out with his new partner, who was injured in the attack. 
 
(AFP)

Several still in critical condition. Attack killed 84 people of all ages, including three generations of a family

Victims of the Nice truck attack included three generations of a family out for a stroll, a Frenchman protecting his pregnant wife and a former Soviet soldier. The Bastille Day assault killed 84 people of all ages -- including 10 children -- who had been out enjoying a fireworks display on a warm summer evening. The dead came from at least 12 countries. More than 300 people were also injured when the Tunisian driver slammed his truck into the crowd on the seaside promenade on Thursday. Here are some of the victims' stories. Four-year-old Yanis C, described by his father Michael in local media as "a rascal, a scallywag, always smiling", was playing with other children a few feet from his parents when he was hit. Mehdi H was the 12-year-old son of a Nice football referee who also lost his sister-in-law in the attack. His twin sister is in a coma. Another 12-year-old, Amie V, was the daughter of a magazine journalist based in Nice. One 14-year-old boy who is in a critical condition will wake up to the death of his mother, Christine Fabry, 67, and her partner Hugues Mismarck. His sister is injured and 17-year-old brother is missing. Christophe Lyon, the former head of a rugby club, lost his wife, parents, parents-in-law and his wife`s son in the attack. They were grandparents Francois, 82, and Christiane Locatelli, 78, their daughter Veronique Lyon, 55, and grandson Michael Pellegrini, 28. His parents were Gisele and Germain Lyon. Laurence Tavet, 49, who was married to an Algerian, was killed with two of her grandchildren. One of them, seven-year-old Yanis, had come to visit her on his holidays, the Algerian foreign ministry said. Tunisian national Olfa Bent Souayah Khalfallah, 31, was with her four-year-old son on a family holiday from their home in Lyon, France. Her devastated husband searched for their son for more than two days before discovering that the little boy had also been killed. Timothe Fournier, a 27-year-old Parisian, died after pushing his seven-months-pregnant wife out of the truck`s deadly path, his cousin Anais told AFP. "He was a great guy," she said. "A young dreamer, but someone who was always there for his family." A Texas-based newspaper identified the two Americans killed as baseball coach Sean Copeland, 51, and his 11-year-old son Brodie, who were on a family vacation in Europe. "They are so loved," the Austin American-Statesman quoted the family as saying in a statement. Sisters Magdalena, 21, and Marzena Chrzanowska, 20, were on holiday with their two other sisters when they were killed, the priest in their hometown of Krzyszkowice, Poland, told AFP. Slain Russian tourist Victoria Savchenko, a 20-year-old student, was also holidaying in the French Riviera resort. Fatima Charrihi, 60, a Nice resident and mother of seven, was among the first to be killed by the driver, her son Hamza told local media. He described her as "an extraordinary mum" and a devout Muslim who practised "real Islam, not that of the terrorists". Madagascan mother Mino Razafitrimo, 31, was with her two children aged four and six, who survived. She was a "joyous person very involved with the Malagasy community in Nice", a friend told AFP. A teacher and two of her students from Berlin`s Paula-Fuerst School were killed, the Berlin mayor's office said. American student Nicolas Leslie was also killed, the University of California, Berkeley said. The 20-year-old had been in the French city as part of Berkeley`s study abroad programme. Men and women of all professions were among the dead. Former Soviet soldier Igor Sheleshko, 47, was a father-of-four who held both Russian and Belgian nationality. He had been living in Nice for four months, said Andrey Eliseev, arch-priest of the Saint-Nicolas cathedral who described him as "a pious man". The priest named another victim as Roman Ekmaliyan, a Georgian businessman of Armenian origin who had lived in Belgium. The 56-year-old was "very intelligent on all topics -- interested in history, politics". Robert Marchand, 60, was an athletics trainer from Marcigny, a small town in central France. He had raised the town`s club "to a very high level", mayor Louis Poncet told AFP. Also killed was border police commissioner Emmanuel Grout, 45, who was off duty, local media said. And David Bonnet, a 44-year-old fish farmer, was out with his new partner, who was injured in the attack. (AFP)

Survivors agony: Families mourn Nice deaths

The Nice truck attacker staked out the seafront for two days before striking, it emerged Sunday, as investigators pieced together details of the IS-claimed massacre and questioned possible accomplices. 
 
A source close to the investigation told AFP that Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, a 31-year-old Tunisian, sent a text message just before the attack in which he &quot;expresses satisfaction at having obtained a 7.65mm pistol and discusses the supply of other weapons&quot;.&nbsp;He also took a selfie at the wheel of the 19-tonne truck in the days before he ploughed it into a crowd of people who had been enjoying a fireworks display on Bastille Day, France&#39;s national day, killing 84 and injuring about 300. 
 
Mangled bodies were left strewn across the Riviera city&#39;s seafront in the grisly attack by a man described by those who knew him as a loner with a history of violence and depression. 
 
While some relatives and friends described the delivery driver as someone who drank heavily and never attended the local mosque, others questioned by investigators spoke of &quot;a recent shift to radical Islam&quot;, said a police source.&nbsp;But there has been no evidence yet linking him to the Islamic State group, which on Saturday claimed the attack. 
 
An Albanian suspected of providing the driver with the pistol was arrested in Nice on Sunday. Lahouaiej-Bouhlel fired at police who sprayed his rampaging truck with gunfire, eventually killing him.&nbsp;Two replica assault rifles and a dummy grenade were also found in the truck, which he rented a few days earlier and used for reconnaissance on the seafront on the two consecutive days before the attack. 
 
One of five other people being held over the carnage is a 22-year-old suspected of lending logistical support, said his lawyer Jean-Pascal Padovani. 
 
The lawyer said the pair had only known each other for a few months.&nbsp;Lahouaiej-Bouhlel&#39;s estranged wife, the mother of his three children, was released Sunday after two days of questioning. 
 
Slow identification of victims 
 
In Nice, many people were still desperately waiting for news of their loved ones.&nbsp;Prosecutors said only 35 victims have been officially identified as they take painstaking measures to avoid errors of identification seen during the Paris attacks last November. 
 
&quot;We have no news, neither good nor bad,&quot; said Johanna, a Lithuanian who was looking for her two friends, aged 20. 
 
At least 10 children were among the dead, as well as tourists from the United States, Ukraine, Switzerland, Germany and about 10 people from Russia, a local Russian association said.&nbsp;Health Minister Marisol Touraine said 85 people were still hospitalised, 18 of them in critical condition. 
 
&#39;Radicalised very quickly&#39; 
 
Despite several brushes with the law for petty crime, Lahouaiej-Bouhlel had never appeared on the radar of intelligence services.&nbsp;Interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve said on Saturday he &quot;seemed to have been radicalised very quickly, from what his friends and family&quot; told police. 
 
People who went to the same gym as Lahouaiej-Bouhlel - where he took salsa dancing classes and lifted weights - described him as a vain man who &quot;flirted with anything that moved&quot;. 
 
The Islamic State group said one of its &quot;soldiers&quot; carried out the attack in response to its calls to target countries from the US-led coalition engaged in airstrikes against the group. 
 
Cazeneuve described the massacre as a &quot;a new kind of attack&quot;. 
 
&quot;We are now confronted with individuals open to IS&#39;s message to engage in extremely violent actions without necessarily having been trained or having the weapons to carry out a mass (casualty) attack,&quot; he said. 
 
Patriots called to volunteer 
 
France&#39;s third major attack in the past 18 months has left the government fending off criticism over security failures and scrambling to reassure citizens about their safety.&nbsp;Cazeneuve called for volunteers to boost the security forces who were already on high alert under an eight-month-old state of emergency. 
 
&quot;I want to call on all French patriots who wish to do so, to join this operational reserve,&quot; said Cazeneuve of a force currently made up of 12,000 volunteers aged between 17 and 30. 
 
The latest attack comes after a French parliamentary inquiry last week criticised numerous failings by the intelligence services following jihadist assaults in January and November last year. 
 
France is a prime target of IS, due to its role in fighting the group in Iraq and Syria, its emphasis on secular values, and what the government has admitted is a &quot;social and ethnic apartheid&quot; that alienates its large Muslim community.&nbsp;Hundreds of French jihadists have gone to fight alongside IS in Iraq and Syria. 
 
French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian noted that IS had recently repeated calls for supporters to &quot;directly attack the French, Americans, wherever they are and by whatever means&quot;. 
 
&quot;Even when Daesh is not the organiser, Daesh breathes life into the terrorist spirit that we are fighting,&quot; he said, using an Arabic name for IS. 
 
(AFP)

Only 35 victims have been officially identified as prosecutors take painstaking measures to avoid errors seen during November's Paris attack

The Nice truck attacker staked out the seafront for two days before striking, it emerged Sunday, as investigators pieced together details of the IS-claimed massacre and questioned possible accomplices. A source close to the investigation told AFP that Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, a 31-year-old Tunisian, sent a text message just before the attack in which he "expresses satisfaction at having obtained a 7.65mm pistol and discusses the supply of other weapons". He also took a selfie at the wheel of the 19-tonne truck in the days before he ploughed it into a crowd of people who had been enjoying a fireworks display on Bastille Day, France's national day, killing 84 and injuring about 300. Mangled bodies were left strewn across the Riviera city's seafront in the grisly attack by a man described by those who knew him as a loner with a history of violence and depression. While some relatives and friends described the delivery driver as someone who drank heavily and never attended the local mosque, others questioned by investigators spoke of "a recent shift to radical Islam", said a police source. But there has been no evidence yet linking him to the Islamic State group, which on Saturday claimed the attack. An Albanian suspected of providing the driver with the pistol was arrested in Nice on Sunday. Lahouaiej-Bouhlel fired at police who sprayed his rampaging truck with gunfire, eventually killing him. Two replica assault rifles and a dummy grenade were also found in the truck, which he rented a few days earlier and used for reconnaissance on the seafront on the two consecutive days before the attack. One of five other people being held over the carnage is a 22-year-old suspected of lending logistical support, said his lawyer Jean-Pascal Padovani. The lawyer said the pair had only known each other for a few months. Lahouaiej-Bouhlel's estranged wife, the mother of his three children, was released Sunday after two days of questioning. Slow identification of victims In Nice, many people were still desperately waiting for news of their loved ones. Prosecutors said only 35 victims have been officially identified as they take painstaking measures to avoid errors of identification seen during the Paris attacks last November. "We have no news, neither good nor bad," said Johanna, a Lithuanian who was looking for her two friends, aged 20. At least 10 children were among the dead, as well as tourists from the United States, Ukraine, Switzerland, Germany and about 10 people from Russia, a local Russian association said. Health Minister Marisol Touraine said 85 people were still hospitalised, 18 of them in critical condition. 'Radicalised very quickly' Despite several brushes with the law for petty crime, Lahouaiej-Bouhlel had never appeared on the radar of intelligence services. Interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve said on Saturday he "seemed to have been radicalised very quickly, from what his friends and family" told police. People who went to the same gym as Lahouaiej-Bouhlel - where he took salsa dancing classes and lifted weights - described him as a vain man who "flirted with anything that moved". The Islamic State group said one of its "soldiers" carried out the attack in response to its calls to target countries from the US-led coalition engaged in airstrikes against the group. Cazeneuve described the massacre as a "a new kind of attack". "We are now confronted with individuals open to IS's message to engage in extremely violent actions without necessarily having been trained or having the weapons to carry out a mass (casualty) attack," he said. Patriots called to volunteer France's third major attack in the past 18 months has left the government fending off criticism over security failures and scrambling to reassure citizens about their safety. Cazeneuve called for volunteers to boost the security forces who were already on high alert under an eight-month-old state of emergency. "I want to call on all French patriots who wish to do so, to join this operational reserve," said Cazeneuve of a force currently made up of 12,000 volunteers aged between 17 and 30. The latest attack comes after a French parliamentary inquiry last week criticised numerous failings by the intelligence services following jihadist assaults in January and November last year. France is a prime target of IS, due to its role in fighting the group in Iraq and Syria, its emphasis on secular values, and what the government has admitted is a "social and ethnic apartheid" that alienates its large Muslim community. Hundreds of French jihadists have gone to fight alongside IS in Iraq and Syria. French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian noted that IS had recently repeated calls for supporters to "directly attack the French, Americans, wherever they are and by whatever means". "Even when Daesh is not the organiser, Daesh breathes life into the terrorist spirit that we are fighting," he said, using an Arabic name for IS. (AFP)

Nice attack investigation unfolds gradually

The Nice truck attacker staked out the seafront for two days before striking, it emerged today as investigators pieced together details of the IS-claimed massacre and questioned possible accomplices. 
 
A source close to the investigation said that Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, a 31-year-old Tunisian, sent a text message just before the attack in which he &quot;expresses satisfaction at having obtained a 7.65mm pistol and discusses the supply of other weapons&quot;. 
 
He also took a selfie at the wheel of the 19-tonne truck in the days before he ploughed it into a crowd of people who had been enjoying a fireworks display on Bastille Day, France&#39;s national day, killing 84 and injuring about 300. 
 
Mangled bodies were left strewn across the Riviera city&#39;s seafront in the grisly attack by a man described by those who knew him as a loner with a history of violence and depression. 
 
While some relatives and friends described the delivery driver as someone who drank heavily and never attended the local mosque, others questioned by investigators spoke of &quot;a recent shift to radical Islam&quot;, said a police source. 
 
But there has been no evidence yet linking him to the Islamic State group, which on Saturday claimed the attack. 
 
An Albanian suspected of providing the driver with the pistol was arrested in Nice today. Lahouaiej-Bouhlel fired at police who sprayed his rampaging truck with gunfire, eventually killing him. 
 
Two replica assault rifles and a dummy grenade were also found in the truck, which he rented a few days earlier and used for reconnaissance on the seafront on the two consecutive days before the attack. 
 
One of five other people being held over the carnage is a 22-year-old suspected of lending logistical support, said his lawyer Jean-Pascal Padovani. 
 
The lawyer said the pair had only known each other for a few months. 
 
Lahouaiej-Bouhlel&#39;s estranged wife, the mother of his three children, was released today after two days of questioning. 
 
Slow identification of victims&nbsp; 
 
In Nice, many people were still desperately waiting for news of their loved ones. 
 
Prosecutors said only 35 victims have been officially identified as they take painstaking measures to avoid errors of identification seen during the Paris attacks last November. 
 
&quot;We have no news, neither good nor bad,&quot; said Johanna, a Lithuanian who was looking for her two friends, aged 20. 
 
At least ten children were among the dead as well as tourists from the United States, Ukraine, Switzerland, Germany and about ten people from Russia, a local Russian association said. 
 
Health Minister Marisol Touraine said 85 people were still hospitalised, 18 of them in critical condition. 
 
Patriots called to volunteer&nbsp; 
 
France&#39;s third major attack in the past 18 months has left the government fending off criticism over security failures and scrambling to reassure citizens about their safety. 
 
Cazeneuve called for volunteers to boost the security forces who were already on high alert under an eight-month-old state of emergency. 
 
&quot;I want to call on all French patriots who wish to do so, to join this operational reserve,&quot; said Cazeneuve of a force currently made up of 12,000 volunteers aged between 17 and 30. 
 
The latest attack comes after a French parliamentary inquiry last week criticised numerous failings by the intelligence services following jihadist assaults in January and November last year. 
 
France is a prime target of IS, due to its role in fighting the group in Iraq and Syria, its emphasis on secular values, and what the government has admitted is a &quot;social and ethnic apartheid&quot; that alienates its large Muslim community. 
 
Hundreds of French jihadists have gone to fight alongside IS in Iraq and Syria. 
 
French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian noted that IS had recently repeated calls for supporters to &quot;directly attack the French, Americans, wherever they are and by whatever means&quot;. 
 
&quot;Even when Daesh is not the organiser, Daesh breathes life into the terrorist spirit that we are fighting,&quot; he said, using an Arabic name for IS. 
 
(AFP)

He took a selfie at the wheel of the 19-tonne truck days before the attack. An Albanian suspected of providing the pistol was arrested

The Nice truck attacker staked out the seafront for two days before striking, it emerged today as investigators pieced together details of the IS-claimed massacre and questioned possible accomplices. A source close to the investigation said that Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, a 31-year-old Tunisian, sent a text message just before the attack in which he "expresses satisfaction at having obtained a 7.65mm pistol and discusses the supply of other weapons". He also took a selfie at the wheel of the 19-tonne truck in the days before he ploughed it into a crowd of people who had been enjoying a fireworks display on Bastille Day, France's national day, killing 84 and injuring about 300. Mangled bodies were left strewn across the Riviera city's seafront in the grisly attack by a man described by those who knew him as a loner with a history of violence and depression. While some relatives and friends described the delivery driver as someone who drank heavily and never attended the local mosque, others questioned by investigators spoke of "a recent shift to radical Islam", said a police source. But there has been no evidence yet linking him to the Islamic State group, which on Saturday claimed the attack. An Albanian suspected of providing the driver with the pistol was arrested in Nice today. Lahouaiej-Bouhlel fired at police who sprayed his rampaging truck with gunfire, eventually killing him. Two replica assault rifles and a dummy grenade were also found in the truck, which he rented a few days earlier and used for reconnaissance on the seafront on the two consecutive days before the attack. One of five other people being held over the carnage is a 22-year-old suspected of lending logistical support, said his lawyer Jean-Pascal Padovani. The lawyer said the pair had only known each other for a few months. Lahouaiej-Bouhlel's estranged wife, the mother of his three children, was released today after two days of questioning. Slow identification of victims In Nice, many people were still desperately waiting for news of their loved ones. Prosecutors said only 35 victims have been officially identified as they take painstaking measures to avoid errors of identification seen during the Paris attacks last November. "We have no news, neither good nor bad," said Johanna, a Lithuanian who was looking for her two friends, aged 20. At least ten children were among the dead as well as tourists from the United States, Ukraine, Switzerland, Germany and about ten people from Russia, a local Russian association said. Health Minister Marisol Touraine said 85 people were still hospitalised, 18 of them in critical condition. Patriots called to volunteer France's third major attack in the past 18 months has left the government fending off criticism over security failures and scrambling to reassure citizens about their safety. Cazeneuve called for volunteers to boost the security forces who were already on high alert under an eight-month-old state of emergency. "I want to call on all French patriots who wish to do so, to join this operational reserve," said Cazeneuve of a force currently made up of 12,000 volunteers aged between 17 and 30. The latest attack comes after a French parliamentary inquiry last week criticised numerous failings by the intelligence services following jihadist assaults in January and November last year. France is a prime target of IS, due to its role in fighting the group in Iraq and Syria, its emphasis on secular values, and what the government has admitted is a "social and ethnic apartheid" that alienates its large Muslim community. Hundreds of French jihadists have gone to fight alongside IS in Iraq and Syria. French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian noted that IS had recently repeated calls for supporters to "directly attack the French, Americans, wherever they are and by whatever means". "Even when Daesh is not the organiser, Daesh breathes life into the terrorist spirit that we are fighting," he said, using an Arabic name for IS. (AFP)

Nice attacker scouted area before striking

Police made two more arrests Sunday morning in connection with the Nice attack. Three were arrested on Saturday and two were arrested on Friday. 
 
Islamic State claimed responsibility on Saturday for the truck attack that killed at least 84 people celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice.&nbsp;&quot;The person who carried out the operation in Nice, France, to run down people was one of the soldiers of Islamic State,&quot; the Amaq news agency affiliated with the militant Islamist group said on its Telegram account.&nbsp;He carried out the operation in response to calls to target nationals of states that are part of the coalition fighting Islamic State.&quot; 
 
French authorities have yet to produce any evidence that the 31 year-old Tunisian killer, shot dead by police in the attack, had turned to radical Islam. Nevertheless, interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve said that Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel may have undergone a rapid change. 
 
&quot;It seems that he was radicalised very quickly -- in any case these are the elements that have come up from the testimony of the people around him,&quot; Cazeneuve told reporters. 
 
Speaking from his home town in Tunisia, Bouhlel&#39;s sister told Reuters he had been having psychological problems when he left for France in 2005.&nbsp;Other relatives and friends interviewed in Nice doubted he had militant Islamist leanings. 
 
Saturday&#39;s arrests concerned his &quot;close entourage&quot;, police sources said. Two other people, including the attacker&#39;s wife, had already been detained.&nbsp;Bouhlel had been in France for 10 years and lived locally. 
 
He drove at the crowd in the Riviera city on Thursday night, zig-zagging along the seafront Promenade des Anglais for two kilometres as a fireworks display marking the French national day ended, until police eventually shot him dead. 
 
The Health Ministry said 121 people remained in hospital, including 30 children. Twenty-six individuals were still in intensive care. 
 
The attack plunged France into new grief and fear just eight months after gunmen killed 130 people in Paris. Assaults in January 2015 on satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket were also claimed by Islamic State, which controls swathes of Iraq and Syria but is now under military pressure from forces opposed to it. 
 
A state of emergency in place since the Paris killings last November is to be extended for another three months. On Saturday Cazeneuve called on &quot;patriotic citizens&quot; to become reservists to help relieve exhausted security forces. 
 
Bouhlel was known to police for petty crimes but was not on a watch list of suspected militants. He had one criminal conviction for road rage, having been sentenced to probation three months ago for throwing a wooden pallet at another driver. 
 
Edwin Bakker, Professor at the Centre for Terrorism and Counterterrorism at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands, said Islamic State&#39;s claim did not necessarily point to any formal link. 
 
&quot;Islamic State called for such (individual) attacks to be carried out back in 2014. They are also using the public perception that an attack like this seems to fit Islamic State.&nbsp;Investigators still have not discovered a direct link between Islamic State and the attacker, so it is a cheap claim,&quot; he said. 
 
 
Nissa ma belle 
 
In Nice, where the holiday season would normally be in full swing, organisers of the annual Jazz festival joined the singer Rihanna in cancelling their event. A five-day annual festival that has run since 1948 had been due to start on Saturday. 
 
Nice&#39;s beaches, which are usually packed in mid-July, were noticeably less busy.&nbsp;Tearful well-wishers were still laying flowers, candles, teddy bears and drawings at a makeshift memorial on the Promenade des Anglais. 
 
&quot;Nothing will ever be like before ... Nissa ma belle,&quot; read one, a reference to the hymn &#39;Nissa la Bella&#39;, or Nice the Beautiful, sung in the local Nicois dialect.&nbsp;&quot;Enough of the carnage. Stop the massacre,&quot; read another. 
 
Tora Hakausson, from Norway, owns a flat in Nice, and was dining in a beach restaurant when the attack took place. 
 
&quot;We don&#39;t want to go home. Life has to remain normal. I don&#39;t want this to change how we feel about France,&quot; she said as she wiped away a tear from under her sunglasses. 
 
&quot;Anger is the main emotion today,&quot; said Maiche Arlette, a resident of the city. &quot;For two and a half years now we have suffered from these attacks...Our society has gone mad.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

IS claimed responsibility, but authorities have not produced any evidence he was radicalised, and those who knew Bouhlel expressed shock

Police made two more arrests Sunday morning in connection with the Nice attack. Three were arrested on Saturday and two were arrested on Friday. Islamic State claimed responsibility on Saturday for the truck attack that killed at least 84 people celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice. "The person who carried out the operation in Nice, France, to run down people was one of the soldiers of Islamic State," the Amaq news agency affiliated with the militant Islamist group said on its Telegram account. He carried out the operation in response to calls to target nationals of states that are part of the coalition fighting Islamic State." French authorities have yet to produce any evidence that the 31 year-old Tunisian killer, shot dead by police in the attack, had turned to radical Islam. Nevertheless, interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve said that Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel may have undergone a rapid change. "It seems that he was radicalised very quickly -- in any case these are the elements that have come up from the testimony of the people around him," Cazeneuve told reporters. Speaking from his home town in Tunisia, Bouhlel's sister told Reuters he had been having psychological problems when he left for France in 2005. Other relatives and friends interviewed in Nice doubted he had militant Islamist leanings. Saturday's arrests concerned his "close entourage", police sources said. Two other people, including the attacker's wife, had already been detained. Bouhlel had been in France for 10 years and lived locally. He drove at the crowd in the Riviera city on Thursday night, zig-zagging along the seafront Promenade des Anglais for two kilometres as a fireworks display marking the French national day ended, until police eventually shot him dead. The Health Ministry said 121 people remained in hospital, including 30 children. Twenty-six individuals were still in intensive care. The attack plunged France into new grief and fear just eight months after gunmen killed 130 people in Paris. Assaults in January 2015 on satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket were also claimed by Islamic State, which controls swathes of Iraq and Syria but is now under military pressure from forces opposed to it. A state of emergency in place since the Paris killings last November is to be extended for another three months. On Saturday Cazeneuve called on "patriotic citizens" to become reservists to help relieve exhausted security forces. Bouhlel was known to police for petty crimes but was not on a watch list of suspected militants. He had one criminal conviction for road rage, having been sentenced to probation three months ago for throwing a wooden pallet at another driver. Edwin Bakker, Professor at the Centre for Terrorism and Counterterrorism at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands, said Islamic State's claim did not necessarily point to any formal link. "Islamic State called for such (individual) attacks to be carried out back in 2014. They are also using the public perception that an attack like this seems to fit Islamic State. Investigators still have not discovered a direct link between Islamic State and the attacker, so it is a cheap claim," he said. Nissa ma belle In Nice, where the holiday season would normally be in full swing, organisers of the annual Jazz festival joined the singer Rihanna in cancelling their event. A five-day annual festival that has run since 1948 had been due to start on Saturday. Nice's beaches, which are usually packed in mid-July, were noticeably less busy. Tearful well-wishers were still laying flowers, candles, teddy bears and drawings at a makeshift memorial on the Promenade des Anglais. "Nothing will ever be like before ... Nissa ma belle," read one, a reference to the hymn 'Nissa la Bella', or Nice the Beautiful, sung in the local Nicois dialect. "Enough of the carnage. Stop the massacre," read another. Tora Hakausson, from Norway, owns a flat in Nice, and was dining in a beach restaurant when the attack took place. "We don't want to go home. Life has to remain normal. I don't want this to change how we feel about France," she said as she wiped away a tear from under her sunglasses. "Anger is the main emotion today," said Maiche Arlette, a resident of the city. "For two and a half years now we have suffered from these attacks...Our society has gone mad." (Reuters)

Seven arrested over weekend in connection to Nice terror attack

French film distributor Studiocanal has asked cinemas to pull the thriller &quot;Bastille Day&quot;, a movie about a planned attack on the eve of France&#39;s national holiday, after the real-life truck attack in Nice. 
 
The plotline of the film became even more chilling in attack-weary France after Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel smashed a truck into a crowd enjoying Bastille Day fireworks on Thursday night, killing 84. 
 
&quot;Bastille Day&quot; was being shown in 237 cinemas. 
 
&quot;We asked all cinemas to withdraw Bastille Day because some aspects of the film are not in line with the national mood,&quot; said a spokeswoman for Studiocanal. 
 
The movie is a joint, American, French and British production and tells the story of a young French woman who is preparing an attack on the eve of the Bastille Day, and a CIA agent played by Idriss Elba who is sent to Paris to stop her. 
 
It opened in France on July 13, and was already on screens in Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. 
 
The film has been advertised for weeks in the capital, in metro stations and on the back of buses, but all publicity was removed on Friday after the attack. 
 
The truck attack, claimed by the Islamic State group, was the third major strike by jihadists on France in 18 months. 
 
It is not the first time that reality and cinematic fiction have collided in the wake of an attack. 
 
Islamic terror thriller &quot;Made In France&quot; was days from its premiere when brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi attacked the Charlie Hebdo weekly and an accomplice Amedy Coulibaly killed a policewoman and four Jewish hostages in January 2015. 
 
Its distributor SND Films pulled out and the movie was eventually picked up by British company Pretty Pictures and given a new release date of November 18. 
 
But life again imitated art in the grimmest manner imaginable when, five days before the rescheduled premiere, members of the Islamic State group attacked a Parisian concert hall, stadium and restaurants and bars, leaving 130 dead. 
 
Another film currently in French cinemas, &quot;Moi, Olga&quot; (I, Olga) tells the story of a young woman who crushes people under a truck, reported Le Figaro newspaper. 
 
(AFP)

The plot of the movie, which deals with a planned attack on the eve of France's national holiday, was not in line with the national mood

French film distributor Studiocanal has asked cinemas to pull the thriller "Bastille Day", a movie about a planned attack on the eve of France's national holiday, after the real-life truck attack in Nice. The plotline of the film became even more chilling in attack-weary France after Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel smashed a truck into a crowd enjoying Bastille Day fireworks on Thursday night, killing 84. "Bastille Day" was being shown in 237 cinemas. "We asked all cinemas to withdraw Bastille Day because some aspects of the film are not in line with the national mood," said a spokeswoman for Studiocanal. The movie is a joint, American, French and British production and tells the story of a young French woman who is preparing an attack on the eve of the Bastille Day, and a CIA agent played by Idriss Elba who is sent to Paris to stop her. It opened in France on July 13, and was already on screens in Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. The film has been advertised for weeks in the capital, in metro stations and on the back of buses, but all publicity was removed on Friday after the attack. The truck attack, claimed by the Islamic State group, was the third major strike by jihadists on France in 18 months. It is not the first time that reality and cinematic fiction have collided in the wake of an attack. Islamic terror thriller "Made In France" was days from its premiere when brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi attacked the Charlie Hebdo weekly and an accomplice Amedy Coulibaly killed a policewoman and four Jewish hostages in January 2015. Its distributor SND Films pulled out and the movie was eventually picked up by British company Pretty Pictures and given a new release date of November 18. But life again imitated art in the grimmest manner imaginable when, five days before the rescheduled premiere, members of the Islamic State group attacked a Parisian concert hall, stadium and restaurants and bars, leaving 130 dead. Another film currently in French cinemas, "Moi, Olga" (I, Olga) tells the story of a young woman who crushes people under a truck, reported Le Figaro newspaper. (AFP)

Bastille day movie pulled down after Nice attack

French health minister Marisol Touraine said today&nbsp;that 18 people, including one child, were still in critical condition&nbsp;after the truck attack&nbsp;in Nice that killed 84.

Touraine said 85 people were still hospitalised, 29 of whom were in intensive care, after the attack claimed by the Islamic State group which turned a night of Bastille Day celebrations in the Riviera city to horror.

Touraine said that there was now only one person among the injured who had yet to be identified.

Over 300 people received medical care in the wake of the attack carried out by Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, a Tunisian who smashed a 19-tonne truck into a crowd that had just finished watching a fireworks display. 
 
(AFP)

85 are still hospitalised, 29 of whom are in intensive care. Only one among the injured yet to be identified

French health minister Marisol Touraine said today that 18 people, including one child, were still in critical condition after the truck attack in Nice that killed 84. Touraine said 85 people were still hospitalised, 29 of whom were in intensive care, after the attack claimed by the Islamic State group which turned a night of Bastille Day celebrations in the Riviera city to horror. Touraine said that there was now only one person among the injured who had yet to be identified. Over 300 people received medical care in the wake of the attack carried out by Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, a Tunisian who smashed a 19-tonne truck into a crowd that had just finished watching a fireworks display. (AFP)

18 still critical after Nice attack: Health minister

The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the truck attack on the French city of Nice today&nbsp;as French police arrested three people&nbsp;in connection with the carnage that claimed the lives of at least 84 people.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The person who carried out the operation in Nice&nbsp;to run down people was one of the soldiers of Islamic State,&quot; the news agency Amaq, which supports Islamic State, said via its Telegram account.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;He carried out the operation in response to calls to target nationals of states that are part of the coalition fighting Islamic State,&quot; the statement said. 
 
French authorities said they were checking the claim. 
 
The 31-year-old Tunisian driver of the truck drove at a Bastille day crowd on the waterfront of the French riveria city on Thursday night. Authorities had been working to find out whether his motives were indeed connected to radical Islam.&nbsp; 
 
He was not known to French intelligence sources for radicalisation. 
 
The arrests, which came on top of two on Friday including the attacker&#39;s wife, concerned the attacker&#39;s &quot;close entourage&quot;, the sources said. They were made in two different areas of Nice. 
 
A reporter saw about 40 elite police raid a small apartment near the central station, where one individual was arrested. 
 
Nice attack was third of its kind in France&nbsp; 
 
Thursday night&#39;s attack plunged France into new grief and fear just eight months after gunmen killed 130 people in Paris. 
 
The truck zigzagged along the city&#39;s seafront Promenade des Anglais as a fireworks display marking the French national day ended.&nbsp; 
 
It careered into families and friends listening to an orchestra or strolling above the Mediterranean beach towards the century-old grand Hotel Negresco. 
 
The attack is the third of its kind in France since the beginning of 2015, and a state of emergency in place since 130 people were killed in and around Paris last November is to be extended for another three months. 
 
The driver, Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, was shot dead by officers at the scene. He was known to police for petty crimes but was not on a watch list of suspected militants. He had one criminal conviction for road rage, having been sentenced to probation three months ago for throwing a wooden pallet at another driver.&nbsp; 
 
Ahead of the claim by the Islamic State, the terrorist&nbsp;Islamist group which grabbed control of swathes of Iraq and Syria but which is now under military pressure from forces opposed to it, French officials had not disclosed any direct evidence linking Bouhlel with the jihadism.

French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve, asked on Friday if he could confirm the attacker&#39;s motives were linked to jihadism, said: &quot;No. ... We have an individual who was not known to intelligence services.&quot;

Relatives and neighbours in Bouhlel&#39;s home town of Msaken outside the coast city of Sousse said he was sporty and had shown no sign of being radicalised, including when he last returned for the wedding of a sister four years ago. 
 
(Reuters)

The arrests include the attacker's wife. French authorities said they were checking the claim of IS involvement in the attack

The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the truck attack on the French city of Nice today as French police arrested three people in connection with the carnage that claimed the lives of at least 84 people. "The person who carried out the operation in Nice to run down people was one of the soldiers of Islamic State," the news agency Amaq, which supports Islamic State, said via its Telegram account. "He carried out the operation in response to calls to target nationals of states that are part of the coalition fighting Islamic State," the statement said. French authorities said they were checking the claim. The 31-year-old Tunisian driver of the truck drove at a Bastille day crowd on the waterfront of the French riveria city on Thursday night. Authorities had been working to find out whether his motives were indeed connected to radical Islam. He was not known to French intelligence sources for radicalisation. The arrests, which came on top of two on Friday including the attacker's wife, concerned the attacker's "close entourage", the sources said. They were made in two different areas of Nice. A reporter saw about 40 elite police raid a small apartment near the central station, where one individual was arrested. Nice attack was third of its kind in France Thursday night's attack plunged France into new grief and fear just eight months after gunmen killed 130 people in Paris. The truck zigzagged along the city's seafront Promenade des Anglais as a fireworks display marking the French national day ended. It careered into families and friends listening to an orchestra or strolling above the Mediterranean beach towards the century-old grand Hotel Negresco. The attack is the third of its kind in France since the beginning of 2015, and a state of emergency in place since 130 people were killed in and around Paris last November is to be extended for another three months. The driver, Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, was shot dead by officers at the scene. He was known to police for petty crimes but was not on a watch list of suspected militants. He had one criminal conviction for road rage, having been sentenced to probation three months ago for throwing a wooden pallet at another driver. Ahead of the claim by the Islamic State, the terrorist Islamist group which grabbed control of swathes of Iraq and Syria but which is now under military pressure from forces opposed to it, French officials had not disclosed any direct evidence linking Bouhlel with the jihadism. French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve, asked on Friday if he could confirm the attacker's motives were linked to jihadism, said: "No. ... We have an individual who was not known to intelligence services." Relatives and neighbours in Bouhlel's home town of Msaken outside the coast city of Sousse said he was sporty and had shown no sign of being radicalised, including when he last returned for the wedding of a sister four years ago. (Reuters)

Islamic State claims truck attack in Nice, 3 arrested

The man responsible for turning a night of celebration into one of carnage in the seaside city of Nice was a petty criminal who had not been on the radar of French intelligence services before the attack. 
 
The Islamic State group claimed Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel as a &quot;soldier&quot; today, but what is known so far about Bouhlel suggests a troubled, angry man with little interest in Islam. 
 
However, the French interior minister said today the truck attacker was likely &#39;&#39;radicalised very fast&#39;&#39;.&nbsp; 
 
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls had also said on Friday that the man behind the Nice truck attack was a &quot;terrorist&quot; who was probably linked to radical Islam. 
 
&quot;He&#39;s a terrorist who is probably linked to radical Islam in one way or another,&quot; Valls told French television the day after 84 were killed at a Bastille Day fireworks display in the French Riviera city. 
 
The thirty-one-year-old was born in Msaken, a town in Tunisia, but moved to France years ago and was living in the country legally, working as a delivery driver. 
 
At an apartment block in the Quartier des Abattoirs, on the outskirts of Nice, neighbours described the father of three as a volatile man, prone to drinking and womanising, and in the process of divorcing his wife. 
 
His father said Bouhlel had violent episodes during which &quot;he broke everything he found around him.&quot; 
 
&quot;Each time he had a crisis we took him to the doctor who gave him medication,&quot; Mohamed Mondher Lahouaiej-Bouhlel told BFM television. 
 
His son had not visited Tunisia in four years and had not stayed in contact with his family, he said. 
 
&quot;What I know is that he didn&#39;t pray, he didn&#39;t go to the mosque, he had no ties to religion,&quot; said the father, noting that Bouhlel did not respect the Islamic fasting rituals during the month of Ramzan. 
 
In a news conference yesterday, hours after the attack in which 84 were killed and 202 were wounded, prosecutors said they had found no links to the Islamic State extremist group. 
 
Bouhlel had a series of run-ins with the law for threatening behavior, violence and theft over the past six years. In March, he was given a six-month suspended sentence by a Nice court for a road-rage incident. 
 
His court-appointed lawyer, Corentin Delobel, said he observed &quot;no radicalisation whatsoever,&quot; and Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said Bouhlel was never placed on a watch list for radicals. 
 
Records show that the 19-metric-ton truck that was rammed through the seaside crowd in Nice was rented in the outskirts of the city on July 11 and was overdue on the night of the attack. 
 
About 25 minutes before the July 14 fireworks show, a popular event that draws hundreds of thousands of people to the Nice seafront each year, Bouhlel climbed into the vehicle and drove toward the city centre. 
 
Shortly after 10.30 pm, he drove onto the Promenade des Anglais that had been closed to traffic for the night. 
 
Witnesses described seeing how Bouhlel purposely steered the truck to hit men, women and children as they tried to flee. 
 
&quot;It was such a nice atmosphere before this started,&quot; recalled Sanchia Lambert, a tourist from Sweden who had come to visit family in Nice. 
 
Her husband, John Lambert, said the couple was almost struck by Bouhlel. &quot;I saw his face,&quot; Lambert told The Associated Press. &quot;He was totally focused.&quot; 
 
(Agencies)

However, the French interior minister said Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, who mowed down Bastille Day revellers, was 'radicalised very fast'

The man responsible for turning a night of celebration into one of carnage in the seaside city of Nice was a petty criminal who had not been on the radar of French intelligence services before the attack. The Islamic State group claimed Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel as a "soldier" today, but what is known so far about Bouhlel suggests a troubled, angry man with little interest in Islam. However, the French interior minister said today the truck attacker was likely ''radicalised very fast''. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls had also said on Friday that the man behind the Nice truck attack was a "terrorist" who was probably linked to radical Islam. "He's a terrorist who is probably linked to radical Islam in one way or another," Valls told French television the day after 84 were killed at a Bastille Day fireworks display in the French Riviera city. The thirty-one-year-old was born in Msaken, a town in Tunisia, but moved to France years ago and was living in the country legally, working as a delivery driver. At an apartment block in the Quartier des Abattoirs, on the outskirts of Nice, neighbours described the father of three as a volatile man, prone to drinking and womanising, and in the process of divorcing his wife. His father said Bouhlel had violent episodes during which "he broke everything he found around him." "Each time he had a crisis we took him to the doctor who gave him medication," Mohamed Mondher Lahouaiej-Bouhlel told BFM television. His son had not visited Tunisia in four years and had not stayed in contact with his family, he said. "What I know is that he didn't pray, he didn't go to the mosque, he had no ties to religion," said the father, noting that Bouhlel did not respect the Islamic fasting rituals during the month of Ramzan. In a news conference yesterday, hours after the attack in which 84 were killed and 202 were wounded, prosecutors said they had found no links to the Islamic State extremist group. Bouhlel had a series of run-ins with the law for threatening behavior, violence and theft over the past six years. In March, he was given a six-month suspended sentence by a Nice court for a road-rage incident. His court-appointed lawyer, Corentin Delobel, said he observed "no radicalisation whatsoever," and Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said Bouhlel was never placed on a watch list for radicals. Records show that the 19-metric-ton truck that was rammed through the seaside crowd in Nice was rented in the outskirts of the city on July 11 and was overdue on the night of the attack. About 25 minutes before the July 14 fireworks show, a popular event that draws hundreds of thousands of people to the Nice seafront each year, Bouhlel climbed into the vehicle and drove toward the city centre. Shortly after 10.30 pm, he drove onto the Promenade des Anglais that had been closed to traffic for the night. Witnesses described seeing how Bouhlel purposely steered the truck to hit men, women and children as they tried to flee. "It was such a nice atmosphere before this started," recalled Sanchia Lambert, a tourist from Sweden who had come to visit family in Nice. Her husband, John Lambert, said the couple was almost struck by Bouhlel. "I saw his face," Lambert told The Associated Press. "He was totally focused." (Agencies)

Father of Nice truck attacker says son was violent, but no interest in religion

Five children are still fighting for their lives after the truck attack in Nice, including an unidentified eight-year-old boy who may be a missing Romanian national, officials said today. 
 
The children were being treated at the Fondation Lenval paedriatic&nbsp;hospital in the French Riviera city, where a Tunisian drove a truck through a Bastille Day crowd on Thursday, killing 84. 
 
Ten children and teenagers were among the dead. 
 
Lenval spokeswoman Stephanie Simpson said that &quot;five children are still in critical condition and one child has stabilised&quot;, adding the hospital had treated 30 children the night of the attack. 
 
Romanian authorities said three of their citizens are missing from Nice, and one of them may be the boy at Lenval. 
 
&quot;Three Romanian nationals, two spouses and a minor, who were in the Nice area at the time of the attack have not yet been located&quot;, Romania&#39;s foreign affairs ministry said. 
 
&quot;There is one minor (at Lenval) who could be the missing child&quot;, it added. 
 
Simpson, the hospital spokeswoman, said the youngest to be treated at Lenval was six months old, with most of the children being treated for head trauma and fractures. 
 
&quot;We are used to treating lots of children, what has been difficult to manage is the psychological aspect,&quot; Simpson said. 
 
A team of trauma counsellors has been working at the hospital, seeing over 50 families since the attack. 
 
Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, 31, smashed a 19-tonne truck into a packed crowd just as a fireworks display was ending. 
 
The Islamic State group, which claimed the November carnage in Paris that &nbsp;killed 130 people, said one of its &quot;soldiers&quot; carried out the attack in Nice &quot;in response to calls to target nations of coalition states that are fighting (IS)&quot;. 
 
(AFP)

Five are in critical condition and one is stable, Fondation Lenval hospital spokeswoman said. 30 had been treated the night of the attack

Five children are still fighting for their lives after the truck attack in Nice, including an unidentified eight-year-old boy who may be a missing Romanian national, officials said today. The children were being treated at the Fondation Lenval paedriatic hospital in the French Riviera city, where a Tunisian drove a truck through a Bastille Day crowd on Thursday, killing 84. Ten children and teenagers were among the dead. Lenval spokeswoman Stephanie Simpson said that "five children are still in critical condition and one child has stabilised", adding the hospital had treated 30 children the night of the attack. Romanian authorities said three of their citizens are missing from Nice, and one of them may be the boy at Lenval. "Three Romanian nationals, two spouses and a minor, who were in the Nice area at the time of the attack have not yet been located", Romania's foreign affairs ministry said. "There is one minor (at Lenval) who could be the missing child", it added. Simpson, the hospital spokeswoman, said the youngest to be treated at Lenval was six months old, with most of the children being treated for head trauma and fractures. "We are used to treating lots of children, what has been difficult to manage is the psychological aspect," Simpson said. A team of trauma counsellors has been working at the hospital, seeing over 50 families since the attack. Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, 31, smashed a 19-tonne truck into a packed crowd just as a fireworks display was ending. The Islamic State group, which claimed the November carnage in Paris that killed 130 people, said one of its "soldiers" carried out the attack in Nice "in response to calls to target nations of coalition states that are fighting (IS)". (AFP)

Nice attack: 5 children still fighting for their lives

Transforming a vehicle into a simple but deadly weapon of terror, as happened to such bloody effect in Nice on Thursday, is a tactic well known to intelligence agencies. 
 
A truck smashed into revellers celebrating France&#39;s Bastille Day, killing at least 84 and injuring scores, as its ploughed two kilometres through the crowd. 
 
In Israel and the Palestinian territories, car-ramming attacks have featured heavily in a wave of violence that has killed at least 215 Palestinians, 34 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese since October last year. 
 
Western authorities have had to deal with three similar attacks in recent years: two in Britain and another in Canada. 
 
In May 2013, two Islamists smashed their car into British soldier Lee Rigby before attempting to behead him on a London street in broad daylight. 
 
The pair, who were of Nigerian heritage, said they attacked the 25-year-old fusilier to avenge the deaths of Muslims at the hands of British troops. 
 
Just 18 months later, a man claiming to be acting in the name of radical jihad ran over and killed Canadian soldier Patrice Vincent, also injuring a second man. 
 
Shortly after, the 25-year-old Muslim convert, Martin Couture-Rouleau, called the police emergency line to dedicate his attack to the cause of jihad. 
 
And in June 2007, two men in a burning jeep smashed into the main terminal building at Scotland&#39;s Glasgow Airport. One of the men was jailed for life, with the judge describing him as a &quot;religious extremist&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
For several years, extremist groups such as Islamic State and Al-Qaeda have exhorted followers via videos or messages to carry out such attacks using whatever comes to hand. 
 
In September 2014, Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, an IS spokesman who Western intelligence agencies have dubbed the group&#39;s &quot;attacks minister&quot;, issued chilling instructions that some have since apparently followed. 
 
&quot;If you cannot (detonate) a bomb or (fire) a bullet, arrange to meet alone with a French or an American infidel and bash his skull in with a rock, slaughter him with a knife, run him over with your car, throw him off a cliff, strangle him, or inject him with poison,&quot; he said. 
 
Al-Adnani said there was no need to &quot;consult anyone&quot; as all unbelievers are fair game: &quot;It is immaterial if the infidel is a combatant or a civilian... They are both enemies. The blood of both is permitted.&quot; 
 
(AFP) 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

In June 2007, two men in a burning jeep smashed into the main terminal building at Scotland's Glasgow Airport

Transforming a vehicle into a simple but deadly weapon of terror, as happened to such bloody effect in Nice on Thursday, is a tactic well known to intelligence agencies. A truck smashed into revellers celebrating France's Bastille Day, killing at least 84 and injuring scores, as its ploughed two kilometres through the crowd. In Israel and the Palestinian territories, car-ramming attacks have featured heavily in a wave of violence that has killed at least 215 Palestinians, 34 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese since October last year. Western authorities have had to deal with three similar attacks in recent years: two in Britain and another in Canada. In May 2013, two Islamists smashed their car into British soldier Lee Rigby before attempting to behead him on a London street in broad daylight. The pair, who were of Nigerian heritage, said they attacked the 25-year-old fusilier to avenge the deaths of Muslims at the hands of British troops. Just 18 months later, a man claiming to be acting in the name of radical jihad ran over and killed Canadian soldier Patrice Vincent, also injuring a second man. Shortly after, the 25-year-old Muslim convert, Martin Couture-Rouleau, called the police emergency line to dedicate his attack to the cause of jihad. And in June 2007, two men in a burning jeep smashed into the main terminal building at Scotland's Glasgow Airport. One of the men was jailed for life, with the judge describing him as a "religious extremist". For several years, extremist groups such as Islamic State and Al-Qaeda have exhorted followers via videos or messages to carry out such attacks using whatever comes to hand. In September 2014, Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, an IS spokesman who Western intelligence agencies have dubbed the group's "attacks minister", issued chilling instructions that some have since apparently followed. "If you cannot (detonate) a bomb or (fire) a bullet, arrange to meet alone with a French or an American infidel and bash his skull in with a rock, slaughter him with a knife, run him over with your car, throw him off a cliff, strangle him, or inject him with poison," he said. Al-Adnani said there was no need to "consult anyone" as all unbelievers are fair game: "It is immaterial if the infidel is a combatant or a civilian... They are both enemies. The blood of both is permitted." (AFP)

When vehicles become weapons of terror

Politicians from around the world have reacted with horror after a truck smashed into a crowd in the French resort of Nice, killing at least 80 as they watched a Bastille Day fireworks display. 
 
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack in a series of tweets.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Appalled by the horrific attack in Nice. I strongly condemn such mindless acts of violence. My thoughts are with the families of deceased,&quot; he tweeted. &quot;I hope the injured recover soon. India shares the pain &amp; stands firmly with our French sisters &amp; brothers in this hour of immense sadness.&quot; 
 
Indian President Pranab&nbsp;Mukherjee wrote on twitter, &quot;I am shocked to hear about the terrorist attack on an innocent crowd of people gathered to celebrate the Bastille Day in Nice, France.&quot; 
 
&quot;I strongly condemn the perpetrators of the terrorist attack in France.&quot; 
 
NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg tweeted: &quot;I am appalled and saddened by the cowardly terrorist attack in Nice. NATO stands in strong solidarity with the people of France.&quot; 
 
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev took to facebook to express his condolences to the people of Nice, France. 
 
He wrote, &quot;My deepest condolences to the French, to all the victims and relatives of those killed in the horrific terrorist attack in Nice.&quot; 
 
&quot;Terrorism has no borders and is a common challenge for both Europe and Asia. We must work together to find common answers to such challenges, to show solidarity, to do everything we can to fight against terrorism.&quot; 
 
US President Barack Obama condemned what he said appeared to be a &quot;horrific terrorist attack&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We stand in solidarity and partnership with France, our oldest ally, as they respond to and recover from this attack,&quot; he said in a statement. 
 
&quot;On this Bastille Day, we are reminded of the extraordinary resilience and democratic values that have made France an inspiration to the entire world.&quot; 
 
US secretary of State John Kerry, who had been in Paris earlier in the day for a Bastille Day parade, said: &quot;The United States will continue to stand firmly with the French people during this time of tragedy. We will provide whatever support is needed.&quot; 
 
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote on Twitter: &quot;Canadians are shocked by tonight&#39;s attack in Nice. Our sympathy is with the victims&nbsp;and our solidarity with the French people.&quot; 
 
A spokesman for new British Prime Minister Theresa May called the attack &quot;a terrible incident&quot;, adding &quot;we are shocked and concerned&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
Boris Johnson, whose first engagement as Britain&#39;s new foreign secretary was at the French ambassador&#39;s Bastille Day party in London, said on Twitter: &quot;Shocked and saddened by the appalling events in Nice, and the terrible loss of life.&quot; 
&nbsp; 
European Council President Donald Tusk called it &quot;a sad day for France, for Europe&quot;. He said it was &quot;tragic&quot; that &quot;the subjects of the attack were people celebrating liberty, equality, and fraternity.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang offered his &quot;condolences&quot; to the victims and said China opposed all forms of terrorism. 
 
The United Nations Security Council called the attack &quot;barbaric and cowardly&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP and WION)

Obama condemns 'horrific terrorist attack', Modi tweets 'stands firmly with our French sisters & brothers in this hour of immense sadness'

Politicians from around the world have reacted with horror after a truck smashed into a crowd in the French resort of Nice, killing at least 80 as they watched a Bastille Day fireworks display. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack in a series of tweets. "Appalled by the horrific attack in Nice. I strongly condemn such mindless acts of violence. My thoughts are with the families of deceased," he tweeted. "I hope the injured recover soon. India shares the pain & stands firmly with our French sisters & brothers in this hour of immense sadness." Indian President Pranab Mukherjee wrote on twitter, "I am shocked to hear about the terrorist attack on an innocent crowd of people gathered to celebrate the Bastille Day in Nice, France." "I strongly condemn the perpetrators of the terrorist attack in France." NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg tweeted: "I am appalled and saddened by the cowardly terrorist attack in Nice. NATO stands in strong solidarity with the people of France." Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev took to facebook to express his condolences to the people of Nice, France. He wrote, "My deepest condolences to the French, to all the victims and relatives of those killed in the horrific terrorist attack in Nice." "Terrorism has no borders and is a common challenge for both Europe and Asia. We must work together to find common answers to such challenges, to show solidarity, to do everything we can to fight against terrorism." US President Barack Obama condemned what he said appeared to be a "horrific terrorist attack". "We stand in solidarity and partnership with France, our oldest ally, as they respond to and recover from this attack," he said in a statement. "On this Bastille Day, we are reminded of the extraordinary resilience and democratic values that have made France an inspiration to the entire world." US secretary of State John Kerry, who had been in Paris earlier in the day for a Bastille Day parade, said: "The United States will continue to stand firmly with the French people during this time of tragedy. We will provide whatever support is needed." Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote on Twitter: "Canadians are shocked by tonight's attack in Nice. Our sympathy is with the victims and our solidarity with the French people." A spokesman for new British Prime Minister Theresa May called the attack "a terrible incident", adding "we are shocked and concerned". Boris Johnson, whose first engagement as Britain's new foreign secretary was at the French ambassador's Bastille Day party in London, said on Twitter: "Shocked and saddened by the appalling events in Nice, and the terrible loss of life." European Council President Donald Tusk called it "a sad day for France, for Europe". He said it was "tragic" that "the subjects of the attack were people celebrating liberty, equality, and fraternity." Chinese Premier Li Keqiang offered his "condolences" to the victims and said China opposed all forms of terrorism. The United Nations Security Council called the attack "barbaric and cowardly". (AFP and WION)

World leaders react to the attack in Nice

French President Francois Hollande said Thursday&#39;s lethal attack on the southern city of Nice was clearly a terrorist assault and that the state of emergency imposed since since jihadists killed 130 in Paris on November 13, 2015&nbsp;would be extended for another three months. 
 
Speaking after an emergency meeting in the early hours of Friday morning, Hollande said at least 77 people were killed in an attack in which the assailant drove a big truck at high speed into dense crowds who were watching a fireworks display on the country&#39;s national Bastille Day holiday. 
 
&quot;There&#39;s no denying the terrorist nature of this attack of yet again the most extreme form of violence,&quot; the French leader said in a national television address at 4am (0200 GMT), about five or six hours after the carnage in Nice.&nbsp;There was a sense of deja vu in France as the visibly moved President took to the airwaves to address a nation once again in mourning. 
 
As an act of terror, the incident will be the third major attack on French soil in 18 months - with several smaller-scale jihadist killings also having taken place. 
 
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.&nbsp; 
 
Hollande calls up reservists to boost security 
 
President Francois Hollande had called on reservists to boost the ranks of police and gendarmes after the attack. 
 
France&#39;s &quot;operational reservists&quot; include French citizens with or without military experience as well as former soldiers. Hollande said they would in particular be used to boost &quot;border controls&quot;. 
 
&#39;France will strengthen role in Iraq and Syria&#39; 
 
Hollande also vowed to strengthen his country&#39;s role in the fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria after a deadly attack on Nice, which has not been claimed by any group. 
 
&quot;Nothing will make us yield in our will to fight terrorism. We will further strengthen our actions in Iraq and in Syria. We will continue striking those who attack us on our own soil,&quot; he said, in reference to the Islamic State group. 
 
(Reuters)

State of emergency imposed since jihadists killed 130 in Paris on November 13, 2015?will be extended for another three months

French President Francois Hollande said Thursday's lethal attack on the southern city of Nice was clearly a terrorist assault and that the state of emergency imposed since since jihadists killed 130 in Paris on November 13, 2015 would be extended for another three months. Speaking after an emergency meeting in the early hours of Friday morning, Hollande said at least 77 people were killed in an attack in which the assailant drove a big truck at high speed into dense crowds who were watching a fireworks display on the country's national Bastille Day holiday. "There's no denying the terrorist nature of this attack of yet again the most extreme form of violence," the French leader said in a national television address at 4am (0200 GMT), about five or six hours after the carnage in Nice. There was a sense of deja vu in France as the visibly moved President took to the airwaves to address a nation once again in mourning. As an act of terror, the incident will be the third major attack on French soil in 18 months - with several smaller-scale jihadist killings also having taken place. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet. Hollande calls up reservists to boost security President Francois Hollande had called on reservists to boost the ranks of police and gendarmes after the attack. France's "operational reservists" include French citizens with or without military experience as well as former soldiers. Hollande said they would in particular be used to boost "border controls". 'France will strengthen role in Iraq and Syria' Hollande also vowed to strengthen his country's role in the fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria after a deadly attack on Nice, which has not been claimed by any group. "Nothing will make us yield in our will to fight terrorism. We will further strengthen our actions in Iraq and in Syria. We will continue striking those who attack us on our own soil," he said, in reference to the Islamic State group. (Reuters)

Nice attack clearly of terrorist nature, says Hollande

The truck driver who rammed his vehicle into a massive crowd in Nice fired a pistol several times before being shot dead by police, a local official said on Friday. 
 
&quot;At the moment that he was shot dead by police, he had fired several times,&quot; said president of the region Christian Estrosi. 
 
A source close to the investigation said an &quot;inactive&quot; grenade was found inside the 19-tonne truck, as well as &quot;several fake rifles&quot;. 
 
Regional lawmaker Eric Ciotti described &quot;terrifying images, a scene of absolute horror, with many children among the dead&quot;. 
 
&quot;Families who were sharing a moment of leisure were targeted. It was a symbolic day in a symbolic place. That... motivated the attack,&quot; he said. 
 
At least 80 people were killed in the attack when the truck barrelled into a crowd after a fireworks display for Bastille Day. 
 
(AFP)

An 'inactive' grenade and 'several fake rifles' were found inside the truck

The truck driver who rammed his vehicle into a massive crowd in Nice fired a pistol several times before being shot dead by police, a local official said on Friday. "At the moment that he was shot dead by police, he had fired several times," said president of the region Christian Estrosi. A source close to the investigation said an "inactive" grenade was found inside the 19-tonne truck, as well as "several fake rifles". Regional lawmaker Eric Ciotti described "terrifying images, a scene of absolute horror, with many children among the dead". "Families who were sharing a moment of leisure were targeted. It was a symbolic day in a symbolic place. That... motivated the attack," he said. At least 80 people were killed in the attack when the truck barrelled into a crowd after a fireworks display for Bastille Day. (AFP)

Nice truck driver fired pistol several times before being shot dead

President Barack Obama on Thursday condemned the deadly attack in Nice and offered any assistance France needed to investigate. 
 
&quot;On behalf of the American people, I condemn in the strongest terms what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack in Nice, France, which killed and wounded dozens of innocent civilians,&quot; Obama said in a statement. 
 
US secretary of state John Kerry, who had been in Paris earlier in the day for a Bastille Day parade, said: &quot;The United States will continue to stand firmly with the French people during this time of tragedy. We will provide whatever support is needed.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
At least 77 people were killed and scores injured when a truck slammed into a crowd in the French Riviera city during Bastille Day celebrations. 
 
According to the Downing Street, the British Prime Minister Theresa May is being briefed on the &quot;terrible incident&quot; and &nbsp;the UK authorities stand ready to assist their French counterparts. 
 
&quot;We are shocked and concerned by the scenes there. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this terrible incident on what was a day of national celebration.&quot; a Downing Street spokesman said, &quot;We stand ready to help any British nationals and to support our French partners.&quot; 
 
May, who became prime minister on Wednesday after six years as Britain&#39;s interior minister, was due to head to Scotland later Friday for talks on the Brexit vote fall-out. 
 
A foreign office spokesman said that &nbsp;they are in touch with the local authorities and are seeking more information. 
 
&quot;If you are in the area, follow the instructions of the French authorities,&quot; he added, in a message to British citizens. 
 
French local government official Sebastien Humbert told BFMTV that the driver of the truck was shot dead after barrelling down Nice`s palm-lined Promenade des Anglais in what he called &quot;a major criminal attack&quot;. 
 
Witness Roy Calley, who said he lived 200 metres from the promenade, told the BBC there was &quot;all hell breaking loose&quot; and the situation was &quot;pretty horrendous&quot;. 
 
&quot;It was a celebratory atmosphere, it was fun, people were enjoying themselves. Suddenly I heard a huge, what I can only describe as maybe an explosion or a crash. A lot of people were screaming. That was followed by what I thought were maybe gunshots.&quot; 
 
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday also pledged his support to France . 
 
&quot;Canadians are shocked by tonight&rsquo;s attack in Nice. Our sympathy is with the victims and our solidarity with the French people,&quot; Trudeau said on Twitter. 
 
Canadian opposition leader Thomas Mulcair, head of the New Democratic Party and a French citizen by marriage also offered his condolences ,&quot;We stand with those injured and the families of the many killed,&quot;
Leaders gathering for the first session of the 2016 Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) stood for a moment of silence on Friday.&nbsp;

&quot;All the participants of the 11th ASEM summit, we are together with the people of France and the people of Europe. I think it&#39;s appropriate to begin our session with one minute silence,&quot; said Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj. 
 
While the United Nations Security Council called the attack &quot;barbaric and cowardly&quot;,&nbsp;European Council President Donald Tusk called it &quot;a sad day for France, for Europe&quot;. He said it was &quot;tragic&quot; that &quot;the subjects of the attack were people celebrating liberty, equality and fraternity.&quot; 
 
&nbsp;Chinese Premier Li Keqiang offered his &quot;condolences&quot; to the victims and said China opposed all forms of terrorism. 
 
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemnerd the attack in a series of tweets.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Appalled by the horrific attack in Nice. I strongly condemn such mindless acts of violence. My thoughts are with the families of deceased&quot;&nbsp;he tweeted.&nbsp;&quot;&nbsp;I hope the injured recover soon. India shares the pain &amp; stands firmly with our French sisters &amp; brothers in this hour of immense sadness.&quot; 
&nbsp;
(Agencies) 
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US, Britain and Canada offered assistance to French government

President Barack Obama on Thursday condemned the deadly attack in Nice and offered any assistance France needed to investigate. "On behalf of the American people, I condemn in the strongest terms what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack in Nice, France, which killed and wounded dozens of innocent civilians," Obama said in a statement. US secretary of state John Kerry, who had been in Paris earlier in the day for a Bastille Day parade, said: "The United States will continue to stand firmly with the French people during this time of tragedy. We will provide whatever support is needed." At least 77 people were killed and scores injured when a truck slammed into a crowd in the French Riviera city during Bastille Day celebrations. According to the Downing Street, the British Prime Minister Theresa May is being briefed on the "terrible incident" and the UK authorities stand ready to assist their French counterparts. "We are shocked and concerned by the scenes there. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this terrible incident on what was a day of national celebration." a Downing Street spokesman said, "We stand ready to help any British nationals and to support our French partners." May, who became prime minister on Wednesday after six years as Britain's interior minister, was due to head to Scotland later Friday for talks on the Brexit vote fall-out. A foreign office spokesman said that they are in touch with the local authorities and are seeking more information. "If you are in the area, follow the instructions of the French authorities," he added, in a message to British citizens. French local government official Sebastien Humbert told BFMTV that the driver of the truck was shot dead after barrelling down Nice`s palm-lined Promenade des Anglais in what he called "a major criminal attack". Witness Roy Calley, who said he lived 200 metres from the promenade, told the BBC there was "all hell breaking loose" and the situation was "pretty horrendous". "It was a celebratory atmosphere, it was fun, people were enjoying themselves. Suddenly I heard a huge, what I can only describe as maybe an explosion or a crash. A lot of people were screaming. That was followed by what I thought were maybe gunshots." Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday also pledged his support to France . "Canadians are shocked by tonight’s attack in Nice. Our sympathy is with the victims and our solidarity with the French people," Trudeau said on Twitter. Canadian opposition leader Thomas Mulcair, head of the New Democratic Party and a French citizen by marriage also offered his condolences ,"We stand with those injured and the families of the many killed," Leaders gathering for the first session of the 2016 Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) stood for a moment of silence on Friday. "All the participants of the 11th ASEM summit, we are together with the people of France and the people of Europe. I think it's appropriate to begin our session with one minute silence," said Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj. While the United Nations Security Council called the attack "barbaric and cowardly", European Council President Donald Tusk called it "a sad day for France, for Europe". He said it was "tragic" that "the subjects of the attack were people celebrating liberty, equality and fraternity." Chinese Premier Li Keqiang offered his "condolences" to the victims and said China opposed all forms of terrorism. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemnerd the attack in a series of tweets. "Appalled by the horrific attack in Nice. I strongly condemn such mindless acts of violence. My thoughts are with the families of deceased" he tweeted. " I hope the injured recover soon. India shares the pain & stands firmly with our French sisters & brothers in this hour of immense sadness." (Agencies) ?

Obama, Trudeau condemn terror attack in Nice

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