SAINTE-ETIENNE-DU-ROUVRAY, France (AP) — A prosecutor says two men who attacked a Normandy church and killed a priest had fake explosives and used nuns as human shields.
Prosecutor Francois Molins said the attackers, who claimed allegiance to the Islamic State group, also cried “Allahu akbar” during the attack.
One attacker was identified as 19-year-old Adel Kermiche. Molins said the other is still being identified.
He also said a minor has been detained in the investigation, who is believed to be a 16-year-old younger brother of someone wanted by police for trying to go to Syria or Iraq in 2015.
Police raids are still under way.
French President Francois Hollande cancelled a visit to the Czech Republic for a second time after the Islamic State group attack on a church in France.
Hollande was scheduled to meet his Czech counterpart Czech President Milos Zeman and Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka to discuss the security situation in Europe following a wave of attacks in France and Germany and the future of the European Union after Britain decided to leave the bloc in a referendum.
The government and the presidential office announced the cancellation of Wednesday’s visit late Tuesday.
Hollande was originally scheduled to meet the Czech leaders last week but cancelled that trip following the deadly attack in the city of Nice.
(Copyright (c) 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)