Friday 15 July 2016

Bastille Day Terror Strike in Nice France


Bastille Day event July 14th is France's National Day, also known as Bastille Day.

The day commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison by angry crowds in 1789, helping kick off the French Revolution.

The Bastille prison, where opponents of the monarchy were kept, was targeted for symbolizing royal rule.

About 3,000 guys and girls from France's army, navy and air force marched down the Champs Elysees in the earliest and biggest military parade in Europe.

Nevertheless, this historic memorial occasion finished in a disaster, there are 84 dead, 100 injured after truck rams bunches in Nice. The motorist crashes his truck into a large bunch and ran, mowing people over while fireworks were on display in Nice.

One Australian witness told 7 News the motorist swerved the truck between the footpath and the road to cause maximum destruction.

The vehicle seemingly went a distance of about two kilometers and reached speeds of up to 70kph before authorities opened fire at the motorist.

The driver fired several shots into the earth before he was killed, in accordance with the local regional president.

Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet supported the motorist was "neutralized" and investigations were continuing into whether he acted alone.

French anti-terror authorities were swift to manage the investigation into the strike. Identification records discovered in the truck belonged to a 31-year old French-Tunisian national, a police source told the AFP.

Christian Estrosi, president of the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur area where Nice is situated, described the strike as the "worst disaster in the history of Nice". He before motivated local residents to stay indoors until further notice.

Estrosi also confirmed to BFM TV the motorist fired into the crowd before he was shot by policemen. “The motorist fired on the crowd, according to the policemen who killed him,” he said.

Estrosi additionally insisted the lorry was taking a cache of weapons including grenades and ammo.

Nice journalist Damien Allemand was by the oceanside promenade seeing fireworks when he heard a sound of panic and shouts.

"A fraction of a second after, an enormous white truck came along at a crazy speed, turning the wheel to mow down the maximum amount of people," he said.

"I saw bodies flying like bowling pins along its path. Heard sounds, yells that I will not ever forget."

A Nice native told AP he saw a truck drive into the bunch and after that watched the man emerge with a gun and begin firing. Some have said they considered the gunshots were fireworks, part of the celebrations.

"There was carnage on your way," Wassim Bouhlel said. "Bodies everywhere."

"There are reports of heaps of people killed and added injured. Bodies are lying everywhere," another eyewitness said.

"Authorities are flooding the roads, including anti-terrorism officers. Nobody understands the best way to carry on, except to hide away. Gunmen should be targeting resorts."

Social media videos show groups running through the streets of Nice away in the crash site, while several others lay injured or dead on the earth.

A journalist from your local newspaper Nice Matin said he saw blood and individuals running around in panic.

“Folks are running, it’s panic,” the reporter said. “There's blood, no doubt harms.”

French paper Le Parisien reports an accomplice could be at large in the town. Several weapons, firearms, and grenades were discovered in the rear of the truck that crashed into the crowd, officials have affirmed.

The magazine quotes a local source, suggesting the strike was an act of premeditated terrorism.

Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop supported the harms during a press conference, condemning the strike and reaffirming the country's support for France.

“We stand resolutely with France as with this time,” Bishop said. "We condemn this attack. We support our friends in France and join with others all around the globe in expecting this could function as end of the terrible event that's targeted at unarmed civilians."

She said the strike “has the hallmarks of a terrorist attack” but declined to say more until the findings of the investigation in Nice were finalized.

Any Australians preparing to travel to France should take note of traveling guidance, Bishop said.

“We call on Australians to exercise a high degree of caution in France."

France's President Francois Hollande said the "atrocious" assault was undeniably an act of terror.

He addressed the nation - and the world - in the hours after the assault, calling for an expansion to the present state of emergency to protect a country "under threat".

"It is all of France which is under the threat of Islamic terrorism," Mr. Hollande said. "So in these states, we must show whole vigilance and a drive without end.

"France is badly hit by this disaster. We are horrified," he continued. "But France is strong, and France will always be more powerful I promise you."

The assault came only hours after French President Francois Hollande declared the state of emergency set up since last November's Paris terror strikes in which 130 people were killed would be revoked at the ending of the month.

In the aftermath of the terror where men, women, and kids were targeted indiscriminately, the French president called for a three month of growth of the national disaster foundation.

"The state of emergency, which was to end of 26 July, will be enlarged by three months. A law will be submitted to parliament next week with this," he said.

The 10,000 military and staff supporting security forces would be strengthened with many sent to patrol the state's borders, he said.

President Hollande contained French military operations in Syria and Iraq would be "strengthened".

Soon after the president's address, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve supported 80 people had perished in the attack.

"We recognize the terrorism threat level stays very high," Cazeneuve said, including investigators were yet to identify the assailant's identity.

Obama: A terrible terrorist attack

US president Barack Obama released a statement condemning "what's seemingly a terrible terrorist attack".

"On behalf of the American people, I condemn in the strongest terms what seems to be a horrific terrorist attack in Nice, France, which killed and wounded dozens of innocent civilians," the statement reads.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and other loved ones of those killed, and we want a complete recovery for the many wounded.

"I 've directed my team to maintain touch with French officials, and we've offered any help they may need certainly to investigate this attack and bring those responsible to justice.

"We stand in solidarity and partnership with France, our oldest ally, as they respond to and recover from this strike.

"With this Bastille Day, we are reminded of the remarkable resilience and democratic values that have made France an inspiration to the planet, and we understand that the character of the French Republic will endure long after this devastating and awful dearth of life."

State of emergency

President Hollande was heading back to Paris early Friday for crisis discussions regarding what a local official described as a "top criminal assault".

"He is coming back to Paris and will go directly to Place Beauvau to the disaster cell," the presidency said.

Hollande had experienced the southern city of Avignon on a private visit.

The strike came hours after the President announced the state of emergency declared after last November's fatal Paris strikes would come to an end later this month.

"We cannot prolong the state of emergency eternally. That would make no sense, it would mean that we were no longer a republic with laws that could apply in all conditions," he said while understanding the risk "remains there."

Talking on the national July 14 vacation, Hollande said the decree after the November 13 assaults WOn't be renewed beyond July 26 because a law strengthening protection in France was adopted in May. For more news and exciting article reviews visit TNT Review at http://tntreview.com.

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