Nice three soldiers on guard outside a Jewish community center attacked

Three soldiers on guard outside a Jewish community center in Nice were attacked with a knife in the city center on Tuesday afternoon by a man arrested in the aftermath and anti-terrorist section of the Paris prosecutor took up the investigation. The motivations of this man were unknown at present.

"A little after 2:00 p.m., while three soldiers were on guard outside a Jewish website (...), an individual, who was on the sidewalk then violently assaulted with a large knife one of the soldiers aimed their face or neck" , are we told AFP police source.

This soldier was wounded in the cheek, a "deep wound but apparently not serious," and another soldier was hit in the arm by controlling the individual known to police for fairly old facts, do we have the same source added. The third soldier was meanwhile not injured.

The attacker may have had an accomplice, added another police source said without giving any details on the motivations or the profile of this man or his possible accomplice. According to several sources close to the investigation, the man arrested would be called Moussa Coulibaly but would "a priori" unrelated Amédy Coulibaly, one of the bombers from Paris earlier this year.

According to a statement of the UMP mayor, Christian Estrosi, the attacker was arrested also thanks to the intervention of a dealer, an agent of the authority of local transport and members of the national and municipal police.

The perpetrator had two knives

"I would like at the disposal of justice images of video protection cameras recorded the assault and calls for heavy sanctions against the arrested criminal," added Mr. Estrosi. Elected asked the government to "maintain the presence of military forces in (the) town, whose mission was to end" Tuesday.

The military has been supported by the emergency services at the scene of the assault, Avenue Jean Medecin, close to Place Massena, said a correspondent of AFP. Their prognosis is not engaged.

The perpetrator had two knives on him, but has apparently used that, said the first deputy Christian Estrosi mayor of Nice, Philippe Pradal, who visited the site after the fact.

The military provided security in the Vigipirate front of a building housing the Jewish Consistory of Nice, Radio Shalom and Jewish association.

The chief rabbi of France, Haim Korsia, "will call the chain of command for news of these soldiers, whom he wishes a speedy recovery," said AFP his entourage.

"Although the threat is seen (anti-Semitic) is real, before these attacks to places that are identified as Jews," he does one said the same source. "The presence of the military in front of places of worship is necessary. As stated by President François Hollande, they risk their lives to save ours. "

Some 10,500 troops have been deployed, including 5,800 in the Ile-de-France, on sensitive sites, including places of worship Jews and Muslims, to schools or media companies, in the Vigipirate reinforced after attacks earlier this year in Paris.

"Military Aggression in # Nice06: it is a symbol of the Republic who is attacked, my solidarity to our soldiers", also reacted on Twitter UMP MP and president of the General Council of the Alpes-Maritimes Eric Ciotti.

AFP