Paris Knife Attack: 1 Killed, 4 Injured, IS Claims Responsibility

A man randomly attacked bystanders with a knife on Saturday night in central Paris. One victim died and two were seriously injured and two wounded lightly.

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A man randomly attacked bystanders with a knife in central Paris on Saturday, 12 May, killing one and injuring five. Two of the victims were seriously injured and two wounded lightly. The man had yelled "Allahu Akbar," meaning "God is great", said city prosecutor Francois Molins.

The knife attacker, who French President Emmanuel Macron called a terrorist, is dead, and the Islamic State has since claimed responsibility for the attack.

The incident took place in the Opera district of central Paris and the site was about 400 metres away from Paris Opera House, reported Xinhua.

The media wing of IS claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement published online.

The Amaq News Agency said "the person who executed the stabbing in Paris is a soldier of the Islamic State".

The statement also said the assailant acted in response to calls to attack anti-IS coalition countries.

IS did not provide proof to substantiate the claim and no authorities or security sources have yet verified the authenticity of the claim, CNN reported.

Macron tweeted saluting the courage of the police who "neutralised the terrorist". French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb denounced the "heinous act" and praised police "composure" and swift action.

A wave of attacks, claimed by the IS, had broken the calm several times; the bloodiest was in Paris when a series of explosives and shootings left 130 victims dead in November 2015.

In October 2017, Macron signed an anti-terrorism law which he said was necessary to muscle security at home to combat high terrorism menace.

The bill enshrines emergency security rules into ordinary law, that allows police to have more power to search, arrest without judge approval and restrict people movements and gathering.