The driver who rammed his car into a crowd in western France on Wednesday is suspected of "self-radicalisation" and had "explicit religious references" at home, the country's Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on Thursday.
"Based on a number of factors that exist with this individual, and the fact that he actually shouted 'Allahu Akbar', there are religious references in his case that are quite clear and quite explicit", Nunez said.
He added however it wasn't clear at this stage if religious motivations were behind the attack, which injured five people on Oleron island off France's Atlantic coast.
"It is the national terrorism prosecutor's office that will determine, through a psychiatric evaluation, which took place yesterday after two searches, and a review of telephone records, whether these elements were the trigger for the violent action we have seen", Nunez said.
Two of the people injured remain in "absolute health emergency", he added.
The 35-year old suspect, known for petty crime, was arrested.
Deputy Interior Minister Marie-Pierre Vedrenne said the man had a criminal record but was not known to the intelligence services.
The Mayor of Dolus-d'Oleron, Thibault Brechkoff, told reporters that the suspect is a local fisherman.
Residents of Ile d'Oleron
Residents of Oleron island were left shocked that a car ramming attack could take place in the otherwise peaceful region.
"We never would have thought that something like this could happen, something so deranged or fanatical," said resident Lydie Claudiere.
Officials including Nunez said the motive for the attack on a quiet island popular with summer tourists remained unknown, adding that the suspect was not on a watchlist of radicalised individuals.
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France's Louvre Museum began a security audit a decade ago but the recommended upgrades will not be completed until 2032, the state auditor said in a report on Thursday compiled before a spectacular heist there last month.
Lebanon's Hezbollah said on Thursday that it had "a legitimate right to resist (Israeli) occupation", adding that it would support the Lebanese army.
U.S. federal investigators have recovered the flight recorders from the wreckage of a UPS cargo plane that crashed and erupted in flames during takeoff in Louisville, Kentucky, killing at least 12 people and halting airport operations.
U.S. Supreme Court justices expressed scepticism on Wednesday about the legality of President Donald Trump’s wide-ranging tariffs, in a landmark case that could have major consequences for the global economy and test the limits of presidential power.
The Champions League match between Qarabağ FK and Chelsea ended 2–2 at the Tofig Bahramov Republican Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan on Wednesday (5 November).
Brussels airport, Belgium's busiest, reopened on Wednesday morning after drone sightings during the previous night had resulted in it being temporarily closed, although some flights remained disrupted, its website said.
A French court has postponed the trial of a suspect linked to the Louvre jewellery heist in a separate case, citing heavy media scrutiny and concerns about the fairness of the proceedings.
Russia remains in constant contact with Venezuela over tensions in the Caribbean, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying on Tuesday.
U.S. federal investigators have recovered the flight recorders from the wreckage of a UPS cargo plane that crashed and erupted in flames during takeoff in Louisville, Kentucky, killing at least 12 people and halting airport operations.
France's Louvre Museum began a security audit a decade ago but the recommended upgrades will not be completed until 2032, the state auditor said in a report on Thursday compiled before a spectacular heist there last month.
Lebanon's Hezbollah said on Thursday that it had "a legitimate right to resist (Israeli) occupation", adding that it would support the Lebanese army.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 6th of November, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. President Donald Trump urged New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani to be "nice" to Washington, saying he approves "a lot of things" for the city and that the Democrat’s election-night remarks showed an "angry" tone toward him.
Ten percent of flights at 40 major American airports could be cut from Friday (7 November) if the U.S. government shutdown continues. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and the FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford made the announcement on Wednesday.
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