2015 Thalys train attack

2015 Thalys train attack
Part of Islamic terrorism in Europe
A Thalys train operating the same route, leaving Brussels-South in June 2014
LocationOn board Thalys train 9364 near Oignies, France
Coordinates50°27′57″N 2°58′26″E / 50.46583°N 2.97389°E / 50.46583; 2.97389
Date21 August 2015 (2015-08-21)
17:45 (CEST)
Attack type
Attempted mass shooting
Weapons
Deaths0
Injured4 (3 directly, including the perpetrator)[Note 1]
PerpetratorAyoub El Khazzani
DefendersDamien A., Mark Moogalian, Spencer Stone, Anthony Sadler, Alek Skarlatos, and Chris Norman
MotiveIslamist terrorism

On 21 August 2015, a man opened fire on a Thalys train on its way from Amsterdam to Paris.[6][7][8] Four people were injured, including the assailant.[9] French, American and British passengers confronted the attacker and subdued him. For their heroism, they received France's highest decoration, the Legion of Honour. The assailant, later identified as Ayoub El Khazzani, initially claimed to be only a robber, but later confessed that he had wanted to "kill Americans" as revenge for bombings in Syria.[10][11][12]

  1. ^ "Attentat dans un Thalys: Le scénario de l'attaque déjouée minute par minute [Attack in Thalys: The scenario of the foiled attack minute by minute]". 20 minutes (in French). 22 August 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Draco was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Suspect in France train shooting watched jihadi video prior to attack, French authorities say". Fox News Channel. 25 August 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  4. ^ Mikelbank, Peter (22 August 2015). "'Wrong Place, Right People': U.S. Servicemen, Passengers Speak Out after Foiling Possible Terror Attack on European Train". People. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference BBC.Prepared was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Des militaires américains évitent un carnage dans un Thalys reliant Amsterdam à Paris [American soldiers avoid bloodshed in a Thalys train from Amsterdam to Paris]". Le Monde (in French). 21 August 2015. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  7. ^ Landauro, Inti; Schechner, Sam (21 August 2015). "Three Wounded in Attack on French Train". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  8. ^ "US student tells of his attack on French train gunman". The Guardian. 22 August 2015. Retrieved 17 September 2015.
  9. ^ "France train shooting: Three hurt and man arrested". BBC News. 22 August 2015. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  10. ^ Soren Seelow (19 December 2016). "Attaque du Thalys : le terroriste était sous les ordres d'Abdelhamid Abaaoud". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  11. ^ Newmark, Zack (21 August 2015). "Three hurt in Amsterdam-to-Paris train "terrorist attack"". NL Times. Archived from the original on 23 August 2015. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  12. ^ Pennetier, Marine; MacDonald, Catherine (23 August 2015). "French train gunman 'dumbfounded' by terrorist tag". Reuters. Retrieved 23 August 2015.


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