Paris police nab seven in attempted ramming of officer near Israeli embassy
Suspects expected to be charged with ‘attempted intentional homicide of a person in public authority’; no known link to Israeli mission
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Police in Paris on Tuesday arrested seven British nationals suspected of involvement in the attempted car-ramming of an officer stationed outside the Israeli embassy in the French capital.
The incident happened on Monday night, according to local media. It said a dark BMW with “three to four people” inside, followed by a Mercedes, attempted to hit an officer outside the embassy, then fled. The officer dodged the vehicles and was not hurt.
Paris police opened an investigation into “attempted intentional homicide of a person in public authority,” news site The Local reported.
The same two vehicles were seen “lurking” close to the Elysee Palace, the official residence of French President Emmanuel Macron later that evening, French news site 20Minutes reported.
A manhunt ensued and the suspects were arrested on Tuesday night, roughly 24 hours after the attempted attack.
The 20Minutes report described the suspects as being of Pakistani origin, without providing details.
No comment was made by French officials indicating that the Israeli embassy itself had been the target of the attempted ramming.
The Monday evening incident came three days after a beheading by Islamic extremists of a teacher who showed his students cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.
The Times of Israel Community.