“The school will not be terrorized.” After the knife attack which left one dead and three injured, Friday October 13, in a high school in Arras (Pas-de-Calais), the Minister of National Education announced “a reinforcement of security forces around establishments” schools. “Tomorrow”, they “will be subject to increased surveillance”. Also, ‘a moment of union and contemplation’ will be organized in schools on Monday. This live broadcast is now over.
France goes on “emergency attack” alert. This is the highest level of the Vigipirate system, which has three. “When we move to this level of vigilance, it is to tell all French people, all administrations to be careful”specified the Minister of the Interior on TF1. “According to our information, there is undoubtedly a link between what happened in the Middle East and the act”added Gérald Darmanin.
The National Assembly lit up in the colors of France this evening. It is about making “tribute to the killed teacher and injured staff” And “to remind us that the values of the Republic do not know the night”.
Emmanuel Macron visited the site. The head of state arrived around 3 p.m. in Arras. He denounced the “barbarism of Islamist terrorism” and claimed that another “attempted attack”, “in another region”, was foiled. According to a police source at franceinfo, a man, carrying a knife, was arrested by the police in Limay (Yvelines), as he was leaving a prayer room located not far from a high school.
Nine people arrested, including the main suspect. Originally from the Caucasus and aged 20, this man is a former student of the establishment. Eight more people were arrested, including the mother of the main suspect, as well as his 16-year-old brother, his sister and his uncle, franceinfo learned from a source close to the investigation.
The suspect was under surveillance. The man suspected of the attack was closely monitored by the General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSI), according to a source from the intelligence services at France Télévisions. He had been checked on Thursday, without anything being reproached against him, continues the same source, which emphasizes that there was no evidence to indicate that he had committed the act. Furthermore, the brother of the suspect, who is imprisoned, was arrested in 2019 as part of a foiled attack plan.