Newsroom
French authorities have identified the suspect in the recent knife attack at the Eiffel Tower as Armand Rajabpour-Miyandoab.
The assailant, a French national, had reportedly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS) in a video posted online just before the attack.
As reported by Metro UK, the incident, which occurred on Saturday, resulted in the death of a German-Filipino man and injuries to a British and French man.
Rajabpour-Miyandoab, who converted to Islam in 2015 after online radicalization by an ISIS supporter, had a history of planning violence. In 2016, he was sentenced to four years in jail for his intentions to join ISIS in Syria.
Despite receiving psychiatric treatment and being under surveillance for suspected extremism, Rajabpour-Miyandoab carried out the attack. He shouted 'Allahu Akbar' during the assault, and authorities were able to apprehend him after a police officer twice Tasered the suspect.
French Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor Jean-Francois Ricard initiated an investigation into the attack on Sunday. Three individuals from Rajabpour-Miyandoab's entourage and family have been detained for questioning.
The injured British and French nationals have returned home, according to authorities. The motive behind the attack included references to the Israel-Hamas war, and the suspect expressed anguish about Muslims dying in various regions.
French President Emmanuel Macron extended condolences to the family of the deceased and praised the swift response of emergency forces. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin commended the police for their quick arrest, noting that the suspect had expressed readiness to harm others during questioning.
[With information sourced from Metro UK]
