Paris knife attacker reported to be French born in Chechnya

Citing a police source, French newspaper Le Figaro reported that the operating mode of the attacker, who shouted something during the stabbing rampage, suggested a terrorist motivation.

France has become a major target of frequent terrorist attacks in recent years. A wave of attacks, claimed by the Islamic State, had broken several times the calm at home with the bloodiest was in Paris where a series of explosives and shootings left 130 victims in November of 2015.

In October 2017, French President Emmanuel Macron signed anti-terrorism law which he said was necessary to muscle security at home to combat high terrorism menace.

The bill enshrines emergency security rules into ordinary law that allow police will have more power to search, arrest without judge approval and restrict people movements and gathering.