Mesman wounds three people in knife attack at Gare de Lyon as police arrest Mali-born suspect who had Italian identity papers

Three people were injured today in a knife attack at one of Paris's largest train stations.

A 32-year-old man, whose name has not been given, committed a stabbing at the Gare de Lyon, in the east of the French capital, at 8 a.m. on Saturday.

The attacker, who has since been arrested, set fire to his backpack and then attacked travelers at the main station with a knife and hammer before being knocked to the ground by a railway worker.

According to an investigative source, the perpetrator was a Malian with “serious psychiatric problems” and was found carrying an Italian driver's license.

'The first victim suffered serious stomach wounds, but his life is no longer in danger. Two other victims suffered minor injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment,” the source said.

French soldiers watch over passengers at Gare de Lyon train station in Paris after a knife attack

French forensic and judicial police visit the crime scene after a knife attack at Gare de Lyon train station in Paris

“The suspect is a Malian with serious psychiatric problems,” the source said.

'He had a residence permit for Italy and had an appointment with a psychiatrist in Turin this weekend.

'He first lit his backpack and then appeared to randomly cut people with an escalator.

'A railway official initially tackled him, after which police and anti-terrorist soldiers arrived on the scene.

'The man appeared to have an Italian driver's license and did not provide any motive for his actions. No slogans were shouted.'

An attempted murder investigation has been opened while the suspect is being held in a secure psychiatric unit.

Laurent Nuñez, prefect of the Paris police, said: “At the moment there are no elements to indicate that this is a terrorist act.

“The suspect's residence permit was issued in 2019 and remains active,” Nuñez said. “The investigation is being conducted by public prosecutors, with the assistance of the judicial police.”

Paris Police Prefect Laurent Nunez speaks to members of the media after a man with a knife injured several people at the Gare de Lyon train station

French forensic police officers work at the scene after a man injured several people with a knife in Paris

A French soldier from the Sentinelle security operation stands guard in a hall after a knife attack at the Gare de Lyon train station in Paris

Police investigators work at Gare de Lyon station after a knife attack

A French soldier from the Sentinelle security operation stands guard at the Gare de Lyon train station in Paris, which was immediately evacuated after the attack

French soldiers secure the area outside Gare de Lyon train station in Paris after a man with a knife injured several people

A general view outside the Gare de Lyon train station in Paris

Gare de Lyon, France's second busiest station, which handles around 150 million passengers annually, was packed on Saturday morning.

It was immediately evacuated after the attack and all services were cancelled.

Officers said there were no early clues about the motive of the stabbing, but that it follows a series of bomb, gun and knife attacks carried out by Islamic State and al-Qaeda operatives in France dating back to early 2015.

The country's deadliest terrorist attack ever occurred in November 2015, when 130 people were killed in Paris.

Suicide bombers who pledged allegiance to ISIS targeted the Stade de France, cafes, restaurants and the Bataclan music venue, killing 90 people.

Earlier this year, two Paris-born gunmen linked to al-Qaeda broke into the offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, killing 17 people inside and three outside.

In July 2016, 86 people were called and more than 400 were injured when a 19-ton truck deliberately drove into crowds on Nice's boulevard, just 20 miles from Cannes.

The terrorist turned out to be a Tunisian immigrant who was shot dead by police.

In the same month, two ISIS terrorists murdered an 86-year-old Catholic priest during a church service in Normandy.

And in October 2020, three people were stabbed to death by a Tunisian immigrant in the Notre Dame Basilica in Nice.

There have also been regular knife attacks on law and order forces, leading to the deaths of police officers.