French police launch terrorism investigation

After a knife attack in central Paris on 12 May, French authorities have confirmed that they have opened a terrorism investigation. The attacker, named as 20-year-old Khamzat Azimov, killed one person and injured four others near Paris’ celebrated opera house and theatres, before before being shot dead by police in Paris. ISIS claimed Asimov as one of its ‘soldiers’. Prosecutor Francois Molins had told reporters that counter terrorism authorities were leading the investigation on potential charges of murder and attempted murder in connection with terrorist motives, although it has since turned out that the perpetrator of a deadly knife attack in Paris was on a state security watchlist. Listed as a person susceptible to Islamic radicalisation, Le Figaro reports that it was ‘more for the company he keeps than for his own behaviour, his actions or his opinions’. The French government defended its anti terrorism measures, stating that security forces had foiled 22 attacks over the past 15 months.