On 3 February 2015, three soldiers, guarding a Jewish community center in Nice, France, were attacked with a knife by Moussa Coulibaly, a lone-wolf terrorist.[1]

2015 Nice stabbing
Part of Islamic terrorism in Europe
LocationNice, France
Date3 February 2015
Attack type
Stabbing
WeaponsKnife
Deaths0
Injured2
AssailantMoussa Coulibaly
MotiveIslamist terrorism

Attack

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Three soldiers were patrolling outside a Jewish communal building housing a Jewish radio station when Moussa Coulibaly rushed at one of the soldiers with a 20-centimetre (7.8-inch) knife aimed at his throat. Coulibaly only managed to wound that soldier in the face before wounding another soldier in the arm.[2][3][4][5] The bulletproof vests worn by the soldiers prevented more serious injuries.[6]

Coulibaly was arrested while attempting to flee.[3] Two accomplices allegedly fled the scene and were not apprehended.[7]

Perpetrator

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Moussa Coulibaly, age 30, had previous convictions for armed robbery and drug-related crimes.[7][3] On 28 January 2015 he flew to Turkey, a popular destination at the time for young Europeans intending to fight for ISIL, but French security authorities contacted Turkish authorities who sent him back to France.[3][6]

He was questioned by police in December 2014 for aggressively sharing his religious beliefs in a gym in Mantes-la-Jolie, Ile-de-France, where he lived with his parents and siblings.[8] Police found handwritten documents about religion in the hotel room near the Gare de Nice-Ville where he was staying at the time of the attack.[8]

Following his arrest, Coulibaly spoke about his hatred of France, of Jews and of the military.[8][9]

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Couliaby was indicted on charges of attempted murder during a terror operation.[7]

Reaction

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US President Donald Trump described the Nice stabbing as one of several terrorist incidents that were "unreported" in news media.[10][11]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Rubin, Alissa (3 February 2017). "Assailant Near Louvre Is Shot by French Soldier". New York Times. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
  2. ^ "Louvre machete attack just latest to target soldiers and police in France". The Local. 3 February 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d de la Baum, Maia (3 February 2013). "French Soldiers Guarding Jewish Site Are Attacked". New York Times. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  4. ^ "News A timeline of recent mass attacks in France". Deutsche Welle. 15 July 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  5. ^ "French soldiers wounded in Nice Jewish centre attack". BBC News.
  6. ^ a b Smith, Laura (3 February 2015). "Attacker stabs two soldiers in Nice, France". CNN.
  7. ^ a b c "Suspect in knifing of soldiers guarding French JCC charged with attempted murder". JTA. France 24. 8 February 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  8. ^ a b c "French knife attack suspect says he 'hates military, Jews'". France 24. 5 February 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  9. ^ "Frenchman gets 30-year term over 2015 knife attack on soldiers". 12 December 2019.
  10. ^ Fisher, Max (7 February 2017). "Our Articles on the Attacks Trump Says the Media Didn't Cover". New York Times. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  11. ^ Sterling, Joe (8 February 2017). "How CNN covered the terror attacks on the White House list". CNN. Retrieved 10 February 2017.