France: Victims of Nice church terrorist attack honoured; PM attends farewell ceremony

Over a week after a deadly knife stabbing episode jolted France, authorities, on November 7, held a farewell ceremony to pay tribute to the three victims who lost their lives in Nice. As per French Broadcaster LCI, the outdoor ceremony was held and saw participation from victims’ family members, French PM Jean Castex and Mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi.  "It is put an end to the threat and acts of barbarism," Estrosi was quoted as saying by ANI.

Estrosi had previously tagged the attacks a reflection of “Islamo Fascism” and confirmed that the attackers reputedly shouted Allahu-Akhbar. In the tributary ceremony, all the three received posthumous National Medals of Recognition for Victims of Terrorism. In addendum, the military orchestra also played the French National anthem 'La Marseillaise' to pay respect to those victimized by the radicals.

"We know this enemy. He is not only famous, but we know his name: radical Islamism, a political ideology that disfigures the Muslim religion, distorting its texts, dogmas, commandments in order to impose his dominance through obscurantism and hatred," the French prime minister said at the ceremony. 

Image: AP

Church Attack in Nice

The Nice attack, which has been labelled as an act of Islamist terror, took place on Thursday where three people lost their lives—55-year old Churchwarden Vincent Loques, 60-year old churchgoer Nadine Devillers and 44-year old Simone Barreto Silva. The authorities have beefed up security in the country following the attack as the investigators in France, Italy as well as Tunisia are working hard to find and understand the motive of the prime suspect, Ibrahim Issaoui, and whether he was working alone or not. The prime suspect has not been questioned yet as he remains in critical condition in a French hospital after being wounded during the arrest. 

Read: France On Alert; Likely To Witness More Attacks, Says France's Interior Minister

Read: France Church Attack: European Council Members Call It An 'attack On EU's Shared Values'

A total of 6 people have been detained by the authorities in connection with the France Church attack, including Issaoui. The suspects in custody are between the ages of 25 and 63 years and were caught after the police spotted them on video surveillance as well as while searching homes in the area as part of the investigation. While their connection with the attack in Nice remains unclear the French and Tunisian authorities are investigating the claims made by a previously unknown extremist group from Tunisia which took responsibility for the attack on the Church in Nice. 

Read: France Church Attack: French Interior Minister Says Attacker Came To Nice 'to Kill'

Read: French Police Detain Suspected Church Shooter, Interior Minister Darmanin Heads To Lyon

Image: AP