French church attack: President Hollande meets faith leaders

Image copyright EPA

Image caption Two hostage takers were killed by police after they murdered a priest at his church in a suburb of Rouen

The French president is meeting Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Buddhist leaders after an elderly priest was murdered in Normandy on Tuesday.

Father Jacques Hamel was conducting morning mass in his church.

One of the two men who attacked him was wearing an electronic surveillance tag, which was temporarily turned off under his probation conditions.

The attack came 12 days after the attack in Nice in which 84 people were killed.

After meeting the religious representatives, President Francois Hollande will hold his security and defence council, and then the cabinet will meet.

On Tuesday Mr Hollande appealed for "unity" as he warned that the war against terrorism "will be long".

"Our democracy is the target, and it will be our shield. Let us stand together. We will win this war," he said.

Image copyright Reuters

Image caption Dalil Boubakeur (left), the rector of Paris Mosque, arrived at the Elysee Palace on Wednesday morning

Image copyright Reuters

Image caption The Archbishop of Paris, Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois, was also attending the meeting

Only one of the two attackers has been named. Adel Kermiche, 19, had twice tried to reach Syria to fight with the so-called Islamic State group.

According to Le Monde (in French), the prosecutor"s office had asked for him to remain in detention but this was overruled by a judge. She ordered that he be released to house arrest with an electronic tag ensuring that he remained at home, except on weekday mornings.

This meant that on Tuesday morning he was free to leave the family home and head to the church.

He and his fellow attacker slit Father Hamel"s throat before being killed by police.

Image copyright AFP

Image caption Father Jacques Hamel was killed in his church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray

One of four people taken hostage suffered severe knife wounds, prosecutor Francois Molins said.

France is still reeling from the Bastille Day attack in Nice earlier this month, when a lorry was driven into celebrating crowds by Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, killing more than 80 people.

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Media captionA nun who was in the church has described the horror of the attack

What we know of Adel Kermiche

• First tried to leave for Syria in March 2015. His family reported him missing and he was arrested in Germany, using his brother"s identity card


• Returned to France, charged and placed under judicial supervision


• Tried again to head to Syria in May 2015, reaching Turkey before being arrested again and returned to France


• Remained in custody until March 2016 when he was released on condition he wear an electronic surveillance tag and remain at his home in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray except for weekday hours between 08:00 and 12:30

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French church attack: President Hollande meets faith leaders
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