One of a pair of Isis knifemen who stormed a church in Normandy before slitting the throat of an elderly priest has been named as known terror threat Adel Kermiche. The year-old "Isis soldier" was being monitored with an electronic tag after he was arrested for twice attempting to flee France to join the terror group in Syria.
Despite having been released early from prison, Keriche's bail conditions allowed him to roam freely between 8.
The attack happened between 9am and 11am. He and his accomplice - also known to French police - forced year-old Jacques Hamel to kneel before filming themselves slicing his throat and performing a 'sermon in Arabic' at the altar of the church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, according to witnesses. Both were shot dead by police marksmen as they emerged from the building shouting 'Allahu Akbar' following the attack that also left a nun critically injured.
A third man, a year-old known as HB and believed to be a relative of Kermiche, was arrested at his home in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray following the attack. The revelation - made to the French TV news channel I-Tele - will cause further outrage in a country devastated by constant security failings.
French President Francois Hollande, who visited the scene today, said the country is now 'at war' with ISIS after the terror group claimed responsibility for the attack. He wanted to defend himself. And that's when the tragedy happened," said the nun, identified as Sister Danielle, according to BFM television. They did a sort of sermon around the altar, in Arabic. It's a horror. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the savage attack. According to security sources, one of the attackers was a year-old convicted terrorist living with his parents and who forced to wear an electronic tag, The Sun reports.
