French factory attacked, severed head and Islamist flag left behind

SAINT-QUENTIN-FALLAVIER: At least one suspected Islamist launched a daylight raid on an industrial gas factory in France on Friday, pinning a severed head to the gates in what President Francois Hollande called a “terrorist” attack.

“The intent was without doubt to cause an explosion,” said Hollande in Brussels, cutting short an EU summit. He said a vehicle driven at high speed by “one person, maybe accompanied by another” smashed into the factory near the city of Lyon.

He called for “solidarity” for the victim, found with Arabic inscriptions on him. “A flag with Arabic writing on it was found at the scene,” interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve said, adding that the text was being translated.

The attacker, 35-year-old Yassin Salhi, was taken into custody while his wife was also picked up later. According to Cazeneuve, Salhi, a father of three, did not have a criminal record but was known to security services for his “link” to the Salafist movement, an extreme form of Sunni Islam.

The suspect entered the American-owned factory and set off several small explosive devices, injuring at least two people, sources said.

The victim, who ran a delivery company, was Salhi’s boss.

The beheading during an attack — an Islamic State trademark — is thought to be the first in France.

REUTERS PHOTO Police officers surround a man suspected to be involved in the attack on a beachside hotel in Sousse, Tunisia, on Friday. Authorities later clarified that only one gunman was involved.