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Knifeman in France kills 2 in attack, terror inquiry opened

France Knife Attack
Posted at 6:06 PM, Apr 04, 2020
and last updated 2020-04-04 18:06:47-04

PARIS (AP) — French authorities have opened a terrorism inquiry after a man wielding a knife killed two people and wounded five others as residents of a town south of Lyon shopped for food amid a nationwide coronavirus lockdown.

France’s counter-terrorism prosecutor’s office said the assailant was arrested near the scene of Saturday's attack in the town of Romans-sur-Isere as he was kneeling on the sidewalk praying in Arabic.

Prosecutors said that authorities found handwritten documents at his home that included a complaint about living in a “country of unbelievers.”

They say an acquaintance of his also was detained. Analysts say some extremist groups see the upheaval from the virus pandemic as an opportunity to get supporters.