French Police Chief’s Killer ’Claimed Allegiance to Daesh’

Local Editor

A man claiming allegiance to Daesh [Arabic acronym for "ISIS" / "ISIL"] stabbed a French police commander and his companion to death before being killed when police stormed a house, officials said.

The attacker took the officer's companion and their son hostage in their home in Magnanville, near Paris.

Jean-Baptiste Salvaing succumbed to multiple stab wounds inflicted by the assailant as his companion was found dead but their three-year-old son was rescued.

French media said the attacker had been sentenced in 2013 for involvement with Takfiri groups with links to Pakistan.

Unnamed sources identified him as 25-year-old Larossi Abballa, who was convicted for "criminal association with the aim of preparing terrorist acts". He was sentenced to a three-year term, with six months suspended.

Amaq, a news agency affiliated to the terror group said that a Daesh "fighter" carried out the attack.

If that is confirmed, it would be the first militant attack in France since a state of emergency was imposed following last November's attacks which left 130 dead in Paris.

French prosecutors launched an anti-terror investigation, AFP news agency reported.

French President Francois Hollande's office said a meeting would be held at the Elysee palace on Tuesday morning to discuss the incident.

"Light will be shed on the circumstances of this abominable drama," President Hollande said in a statement.

Witnesses quoted by AFP said that the knife-wielding man shouted Takfiri when he attacked the 42-year-old policeman, who was not in uniform, outside his home. The attacker then went inside the house and took a woman and child hostage.

He is reported to have claimed allegiance to Daesh while talking to police negotiators.

Interior ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet said France's elite police Raid unit was brought in after the officer's killer took hostages at around 21:00 [19:00 GMT].

He said negotiations had been unsuccessful and a decision had been made to "launch an assault" at about midnight.

A source later told AFP: "The anti-terror department of the Paris prosecution service is taking into account at this stage the mode of operation, the target and the comments made during negotiations with the Raid."

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team