A driver screaming ‘Allahu Akbar’ ploughed into a crowd of pedestrians on a French holiday island, leaving at least ten people injured. The car veered towards walkers and cyclists at about 8.45am today as the 35-year-old attacker attempted to hit ‘everyone he encountered’ on the island of Olron off the West coast of France, officials say. The driver, who was arrested after being tasered by police, attempted to set fire to his vehicles with a number of gas cylinders in his car after ploughing into the crowd of pedestrians and cyclists, French media reported.An attempted murder investigation has been launched, La Rochelle public prosecutor Arnaud Laraize said, but the anti-terrorism prosecutors office is not involved at this stage. The injured reportedly include the parliamentary assistant of National Rally MP Pascal Markowsky, who is in a critical condition. Le Parisien reports the rest are aged between 22 and 67 years old. The suspect is a 35-year-old man who is known locally for his numerous transgressions, notably due to his regular consumption of drugs and alcohol, the mayor of Saint-Pierre-d’Olron, Christophe Sueur, told Le Parisien. He lives in La Cotiniere (Charente-Maritime), a small fishing village on Ile dOleron, a western island connected by road to the French mainland region of Rochefort.At the time of his arrest, [the man] shouted Allahu Akbar. However, the motive is not confirmed, and the investigation will have to determine it, Mr Laraize added to the outlet. The suspect is not believed to be on the French authorities list for the prevention of radicalisation leading to terrorism, Le Figaro reported. Victims were airlifted to the University Hospital of Poitiers, while a psychological support unit has been set up at Chateau dOleron.The post Man screaming ‘Allahu Akbar’ ploughs in to pedestriansinFrance injuring 10 appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.



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