soldiers
A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a conscripted or volunteer enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, a warrant officer, or an officer.
Etymology
The word ''soldier'' derives from the Middle English word ...
, guarding a
Jewish
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
community center in
Nice
Nice ( ; ) is a city in and the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative city limits, with a population of nearly one millionlone-wolf
terrorist
Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of violence against non-combatants to achieve political or ideological aims. The term is used in this regard primarily to refer to intentional violence during peacetime or in the context of war aga ...
.
Attack
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. The bulletproof vests worn by the soldiers prevented more serious injuries.
Coulibaly was arrested while attempting to flee. Two accomplices allegedly fled the scene and were not apprehended.
Perpetrator
Moussa Coulibaly, age 30, had previous convictions for
armed robbery
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take anything of value by force, threat of force, or use of fear. According to common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person o ...
and drug-related crimes. On 28 January 2015 he flew to
Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
, a popular destination at the time for young Europeans intending to fight for
ISIL
The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadist organization and unrecognized quasi-state. IS occupied signif ...
, but French security authorities contacted Turkish authorities who sent him back to France.
He was questioned by
police
The police are Law enforcement organization, a constituted body of Law enforcement officer, people empowered by a State (polity), state with the aim of Law enforcement, enforcing the law and protecting the Public order policing, public order ...
in December 2014 for aggressively sharing his religious beliefs in a gym in
Mantes-la-Jolie
Mantes-la-Jolie (, often informally called Mantes) is a Communes of France, commune in the Yvelines Departments of France, department in the Île-de-France Regions of France, region of north-central France. It is located to the west of Paris, f ...
, Ile-de-France, where he lived with his parents and siblings. 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.
Following his arrest, Coulibaly spoke about his hatred of France, of Jews and of the
military
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...
.
Legal proceedings
Couliaby was indicted on charges of
attempted murder
Attempted murder is a crime of attempt in various jurisdictions.
Canada
Section 239 of the ''Criminal Code'' makes attempted murder punishable by a maximum of life imprisonment. If a gun is used, the minimum sentence is four, five or seve ...
during a terror operation.
Reaction
US President
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed For ...
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
described the Nice stabbing as one of several terrorist incidents that were "unreported" in news media.
See also
*
1988 Cannes and Nice attacks
The 1988 Cannes and Nice attacks were two bombings carried out by neo-Nazis posing as Jewish extremists, targeting immigrant hostels. One person was killed and sixteen others were injured.
Attacks
On 9 May 1988, a Sonacotra hostel in Cannes tha ...
*
2003 Nice bombing
A double bomb attack took place in the city of Nice, France on 20 July 2003. Sixteen people were injured in the blasts against the regional directorates of customs and the treasury. The Corsican separatist National Liberation Front of Corsica (FLN ...
*
2013 La Défense attack
On the afternoon of 25 May 2013, French soldier Cédric Cordier was attacked and stabbed in the Paris suburb of La Défense by a man who was later ruled by a court not to be criminally responsible for psychiatric reasons.
Background
In March 20 ...
*
2016 Nice truck attack
On the evening of 14 July 2016, a 19-tonne cargo truck was deliberately driven into crowds of people celebrating Bastille Day on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France, resulting in the deaths of 86 people and injuring 450 others. The driver w ...