French police had Chechen-born knife killer on security watch list
We will yield not an inch to terrorism, says Macron as Isil claims responsibility for Paris attack
THE suspected terrorist who stabbed a man to death and injured four other people with a knife in central Paris on Saturday evening was a Chechen-born French citizen on a terror watch list.
Named yesterday as Khamzat Azimov, 20, he was questioned by counter-terrorism police last year over his links with Islamist radicals, including a woman arrested in Hungary suspected of planning to join jihadists in Syria.
French intelligence identified him using facial recognition software. Born in Russia’s Chechen Republic, Azimov became French in 2010 when his mother was naturalised after being granted asylum.
Police shot him dead in Rue Monsigny, near the Palais Garnier opera house, nine minutes after they received the first emergency call at 8.47pm on Saturday. He shouted “Allahu akhbar” as he slashed at bystanders’ throats. Dozens ran, shouting warnings to others as they fled.
After failing to subdue Azimov with a non-lethal Taser, police surrounded him and fired twice as he rushed at them, shouting: “Kill me or I’ll kill you.” One shot hit him and the other pierced the glass door of a café, Le Monsigny, which was closed at the time.
Oliver Woodhead, a Londoner who owns L’entente, a brasserie serving British food yards from where the killer was shot, told The Daily Telegraph: “It could have been a lot worse if the police hadn’t got here so quickly, or if the weather had been warmer and more people had been sitting outside.
“I think he targeted people who looked like tourists to hurt the tourist industry.”
The area, known for its nightlife, was bustling but less crowded than usual for a Saturday night because many residents were away on holiday.
Overnight, doctors operated on a 54-year-old woman and a man, 34, who were seriously injured in the attack. The man was described as a tourist but his nationality was not disclosed. Gérard Collomb, the interior minister, said both were “out of danger”.
Another woman, aged 26, and a 31-year-old man had minor injuries. The murdered Frenchman was named only as Ronan, and was 29 years old. One of the injured was believed to be a Chinese national.
Azimov had no criminal record but was among the 20,000 people on the “S” file of suspects considered a potential security risk. The authorities face questions over surveillance, as other attacks have also been perpetrated by “S” file suspects.
Police took Azimov’s parents into custody yesterday for questioning, but they were not thought to be suspects.
Investigators searched the furnished rooms where Azimov lived with his mother in a lodging house in a working-class neighbourhood of northern Paris that has a large immigrant population. A 20-year-old friend of Azimov was arrested in Strasbourg, eastern France, which was the attacker’s home before he moved to Paris. Police left the home with a man in handcuffs, his face hidden by a hood, wearing a black Tshirt with “Defend Grozny”, the capital of Chechnya, on the front and a drawing of a Kalashnikov rifle on the back.
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) claimed responsibility for the attack on its propaganda website. It was unconfirmed whether the assailant had pledged allegiance to the group.
Emmanuel Macron, the French president, said: “France is paying the price of blood once again but is not yielding an inch to the enemies of freedom.” He praised the courage of the police officers “who neutralised the terrorist”.
Gendarmes cordoned off the area after the attack and instructed people to stay indoors while they ensured there were no other assailants at large. People stayed in restaurants, bars and theatres for several hours, with doors closed and blinds or curtains drawn. They were told to remain quiet to avoid attracting attention.
Mr Woodhead, 40, said: “We had about 20 customers and I moved them away from the windows. We finished our service and we gave everyone a free round of drinks.”
He opened his restaurant as usual last night. Echoing the sentiments of many Parisians, he said: “We’re carrying on as normal. This doesn’t frighten me.
“I’ve got friends who own a restaurant near Borough Market and you can’t let attacks like the one there or this one stop you doing what you do.”
France has been on high alert for the past three years amid a string of terror attacks that have left nearly 250 people dead.
The state of emergency that was declared after 130 people were killed in coordinated attacks on the Bataclan concert venue in Paris and nearby bars and restaurants in November 2015 has been lifted. But most of its provisions, granting police extra powers to search premises and detain suspects, have been incorporated into French law.
‘I think he targeted people who looked like tourists to hurt the tourist industry’
‘We carry on as normal. This doesn’t frighten me. You can’t let attacks like this stop you doing what you do’