Paris cop killed, another injured in apparent terror attack

The Champs-Elysees gunman who shot and killed a Paris police officer just days before France’s presidential election had a note with him defending ISIS, France’s anti-terrorism prosecutor said this morning.

In the wake of the attack, Le Pen said “this war against us is ceaseless and merciless”, and charged that the outgoing Socialist government and its right wing predecessor had “done everything to ensure that we lose” the fight.

Le Pen has been fiercely critical of Muslim immigrants, warning of security concerns, and could stand to benefit from a reaction to the latest bloody attack on Paris’ streets, and though the race is likely headed to a runoff it’s unclear who might emerge to face her.

The attack in Paris appeared a flawless fit for Le Pen and her barbed criticism of authorities she accuses of being naive on terrorism.

The attack in Paris appeared a ideal fit for Le Pen, who has moved quickly to present herself as the strongest defender against radicals in a country scarred by a string of attacks that have claimed 239 lives since 2015. He had shown “no signs of radicalization” while in custody, said France’s anti-terrorism prosecutor Francois Molins.

“We must not yield to fear today”, he said Thursday.

The shooting has not officially been declared a terrorist act but anti-terrorist forces are leading the investigation, French President François Hollande said. Across from the Eiffel Tower, women from the group Angry Wives of Law Enforcement demonstrated later in the day against violence aimed at police.

It’s even possible that the country could see a run-off vote between the far-right and far-left candidates, as Common Dreams reported last week.

Police officer named: Page 7.

But undecided voters are estimated to constitute almost a quarter of the electorate, and political observers say the April 20 shooting death of the police officer on the Champs-Elysees could give an advantage to candidates seen as tough on security and terrorism.

The two police officers injured in the attack are out of danger, Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet said.

Cheurfi drew up alongside a police van and shot an officer sitting at the wheel, sending shoppers and strollers on the ritzy Champs-Elysees scattering for safety. “He also wounded a second one, it would seem very seriously”, he said.

A French riot police officer patrols with the Eiffel Tower in the background as family members of police officers demonstrate in what they described as a march of support for all French security forces, in Paris, Saturday, April 22, 2017.

Eventually freed after serving most of his sentence, he was arrested again this year on suspicion of preparing an attack on police – but was released due to lack of evidence.

Two radicalised men were arrested in the southern city of Marseille on Tuesday and authorities believe they had been trying to launch an “imminent” attack on the campaign.

United States president Donald Trump, speaking at a press conference in Washington, said the incident “looks like another terrorist attack” and sent his condolences to France.

Adding uncertainty to France’s most unpredictable election in decades, pollsters say they might not be able to give precise estimates of the outcome at 8 p.m. (1600 ET) as usual, because small and medium-sized polling stations will be open one hour longer than in past elections.

USA presidents typically avoid weighing in on specific candidates running in overseas election.