Francia, entra armato in chiesa gridando «Allah Akbar»: cercava il parroco

An armed man entered the Saint-Rémi church in Forbach, northeastern France, on September 8 while shouting "Allah Akbar" and searching for the parish priest. The 35-year-old man was carrying a knife but did not brandish the weapon, according to prosecutor Olivier Glady.

Two 14-year-old students from a nearby school alerted their parents after hearing the man's shouts, leading to a police intervention that stopped the man without injuries. The priest was not present in the church at the time of the incident and stated he does not know the individual.

Police found an Opinel knife and a small amount of cannabis resin in the man's possession. While the man has two prior criminal records unrelated to terrorism, investigators noted he was not on any French intelligence watchlists for radicalization. Authorities are continuing investigations to determine the man's psychiatric profile and religious motivations.