Gare du Nord attacker was criminal under a deportation order, say French authorities
The man who launched an attack at Paris Gare du Nord station on Wednesday was a foreigner with a long criminal record who was under an order to leave the country, authorities have revealed.
The man launched his attack at around 6.45am on Wednesday at Gare du Nord station and injured six people before he was shot by off-duty police officers. He remains in hospital in a critical condition.
He was initially reported to have used a knife, but police have now stated that he used a sharp pointed tool.
Prosecutors have stated that they are treating the attack as a criminal, rather than terrorist, act and on Thursday more detail was revealed about the attacker.
He is reported to be a Libyan man in his 20s who arrived in France three years ago and has a criminal record. At the time of the attack he had been served with an order to leave the country, but had not departed.
The subject of deportation orders, known as OQTF, became a political hot topic in 2022 after the murder of a 12-year-old girl in Paris - the main suspect was also the subject of an OQTF but had not left.
Data from the Interior Ministry revealed that only a fraction of people served with the order are actually deported - plans to tighten up the system are included in the Immigration Bill which is due before parliament later this year.
Language tests and easier expulsion: What's in France's proposed immigration law?
The six victims of the Gare du Nord attack were not reported to have sustained serious injuries.
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The man launched his attack at around 6.45am on Wednesday at Gare du Nord station and injured six people before he was shot by off-duty police officers. He remains in hospital in a critical condition.
He was initially reported to have used a knife, but police have now stated that he used a sharp pointed tool.
Prosecutors have stated that they are treating the attack as a criminal, rather than terrorist, act and on Thursday more detail was revealed about the attacker.
He is reported to be a Libyan man in his 20s who arrived in France three years ago and has a criminal record. At the time of the attack he had been served with an order to leave the country, but had not departed.
The subject of deportation orders, known as OQTF, became a political hot topic in 2022 after the murder of a 12-year-old girl in Paris - the main suspect was also the subject of an OQTF but had not left.
Data from the Interior Ministry revealed that only a fraction of people served with the order are actually deported - plans to tighten up the system are included in the Immigration Bill which is due before parliament later this year.
Language tests and easier expulsion: What's in France's proposed immigration law?
The six victims of the Gare du Nord attack were not reported to have sustained serious injuries.
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