Man shouting "God is Great" tries to strangle French police officer

The incident in Metz raised fears of "lone wolf" attacks by Islamist terrorists


Manuel Valls, the prime minister, ordered the deployment of extra “military forces” after three similar attacks before Christmas

A man has tried to strangle a police officer while shouting "Allahu Akbar" (God is great), the latest in a spate of attacks in France that have heightened fears of terrorism.

The latest assault took place in the eastern city of Metz on Friday when a man arrested for bag-snatching asked the officer to bring him a glass of water.

When the policeman opened his cell door, the 23-year-old lunged at him and tried to throttle him while shouting "Allahu Akbar".

Other police officers saw the events on the video surveillance system and rushed to save their colleague, who had been thrown to the ground. His assailant was said to have a history of psychiatric problems.

“The doctor who treated him (the officer) said that just a few seconds more and it would have been too late,” Michael Philippart of the SGP FO police union told L’Est Républicain, a newspaper.



Manuel Valls, the prime minister, ordered the deployment of up to 300 extra “military forces” around the country just before Christmas after three similar attacks in three days left one dead and scores injured.

While officials insisted the incidents were unrelated, they raised fears of "lone wolf" attacks by Islamist terrorists.

The government has faced criticism for supposedly playing down the threat, at a time when at least 1,000 French nationals are thought be involved in jihad in Syria and Iraq.

haiyaaa ciilaaka luuuwa weelas waaa