Breaking News-4

UPDATE: the man has been identified as a 29-year-old Egyptian named Abdullah Reda Refaei al-Hamamy, who arrived last month in France. President Francois Hollande has said that this is clearly a terrorist attack. The European Union, its leaders and its policies will face more public scrutiny and backlash, as these terrorist incidents could have been avoided had not it been for their actions. 

12.01 AM AEST – Trump tweets: “GET SMART US” 

11.55 PM AEST – French PM says attack is “terrorist in nature” at press conference 

10.42 PM AEST – Staff members are returning to the underground shopping centre below the Louvre, roadblocks being removed. Tourists remaining inside Louvre have exited the palace.

10.36 PM AEST – Police have started official terror investigation

10.26 PM AEST – Attacker still alive, is in a critical condition, undergoing medical treatment

10.18 PM AEST – French National Front leader Marine Le Pen tweets “Support our troops who are on the front line against the threat and Islamic barbarism #Louvre” 

10.16 PM AEST – French police confirm attacker was shouting “Allahu Akbar”

10.15 PM AEST – Metro station close to the location now closed

10.14 PM AEST – Chris Bambery blames Islamophobia and the current nationalistic atmosphere on French politics

10.10 PM AEST – Political analyst Chris Bambery on RT says this is most likely a homegrown attack

9.50 PM AEST – Police have found two machetes on the man

Soldiers have opened fire at an attacker armed with a machete after trying to forcefully enter the Louvre Museum in Paris. Sources say the man shouted “Allahu Akbar” before attacking a soldier with the knife. The soldier is not seriously injured.

The man was wearing a backpack and carrying a suitcase, which reportedly do not contain explosives. The attack occurred at the entrance to the Carrousel de Louvre, an underground shopping precinct below the palace.

Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve has stated the attack is terrorism-related. The attacker reportedly was shot in the stomach and the leg, and is now seriously injured.

 

More to come 

All times given in Australian Eastern Standard Time 

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