French priest killed
Islamic State takes credit for attack on church in France
SAINT-ETIENNE-DUROUVRAY, France — Islamic State crossed a new threshold Tuesday in its war against the West, as two of its followers targeted a church in Normandy, slitting the throat of an elderly priest celebrating mass and using hostages as human shields before being shot by police.
It was the extremist group’s first attack against a church in the West, and fulfils longstanding threats against “crusaders” in what the militants paint as a centuries-old battle for power. One of the attackers, who grew up in the town, had tried twice to leave for Syria; the second was not identified.
“To attack a church, to kill a priest, is to profane the republic,” French President Francois Hollande told the nation after speaking with Pope Francis, who condemned the killing.
The Rev. Jacques Hamel was celebrating mass for three nuns and two parishioners on a quiet summer morning in Saint-Etiennedu-Rouvray when the attackers burst in and forced the 85-year-old priest to his knees before slicing his throat, according to authorities and a nun who escaped.
She described seeing the attackers film themselves and give a sermon in Arabic around the altar before she fled.
Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said the other hostages were used as human shields to block police from entering. One elderly parishioner was wounded.
The two attackers were killed by police as they rushed from the building shouting “Allahu Akbar,” Molins said. One had three knives and a fake explosives belt; the other carried a kitchen timer wrapped in aluminum foil and had fake explosives in his backpack.
One of the assailants was identified as Adel Kermiche, a 19-yearold who tried to travel to Syria twice last year using family members’ ID, but was arrested outside France and handed terrorism charges. Kermiche had an electronic surveillance bracelet after a judge overruled prosecutors and agreed to free him, Molins said.
A statement published by the IS-affiliated Amaq news agency said Tuesday’s attack was carried out by “two soldiers of the Islamic State.”
Targeting a church in the rural Normandy heartland resonated with France’s leadership and Christians across Europe. While France is officially secular and church attendance is low, the country has deep Catholic roots.
The slain priest had been at the church for the past decade and “was always ready to help,” said Rouen diocese official Philippe Maheut.
“His desire was to spread a message for which he consecrated his life,” Maheut said. “And he certainly didn’t think that consecrating his life would mean for him to die while celebrating mass, which is a message of love.”
A nun who escaped said the priest was forced to the ground before his throat was slit. “They forced him to his knees. He wanted to defend himself. And that’s when the tragedy happened,” said the woman, identified as Sister Danielle, speaking on BFM television.
She said the attackers filmed themselves. “They did a sort of sermon around the altar, in Arabic. It’s a horror.”
One person, a minor, was arrested in the investigation. Molins said he is believed to be the 16-yearold younger brother of someone wanted by authorities for trying to go to Syria or Iraq in 2015.
Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi said in a statement that Pope Francis expressed his “pain and horror for this absurd violence, with the strongest condemnation for every form of hatred and prayer for those affected.”