Floral tributes at Le Paquier park near the lake in Annecy. Reuters
Floral tributes at Le Paquier park near the lake in Annecy. Reuters
Floral tributes at Le Paquier park near the lake in Annecy. Reuters
Floral tributes at Le Paquier park near the lake in Annecy. Reuters

'Innocence under attack': Tears and shock in Annecy after toddlers stabbed


Sunniva Rose
  • English
  • Arabic

Locals in the French city of Annecy, known for its canals, pastel-painted houses and striking mountain backdrop, were in shock on Friday, one day after a man stabbed four toddlers in a playground by a lake.

Flowers, children’s toys and candles had been placed on the artificial grass at the scene of the stabbing on Thursday, during which a 32-year-old Syrian man seemed to purposefully attack preschool children aged between one and three years old as they were playing.

Two French children, one Dutch and one British, are in a critical condition in hospital in Grenoble and Geneva in neighbouring Switzerland. Two adults, both in their seventies, also suffered knife wounds. French President Emmanuel Macron visited the wounded children in hospital on Friday morning.

The attack caused widespread anger, sadness and disgust in Annecy. Many locals such as Mirella Rieffel, 62, grew up playing in the park where the attack took place, and returned regularly with their children and grandchildren as they grew older.

“It’s unforgivable to attack small children and elderly people,” Ms Rieffel told The National, shortly after laying flowers near the park’s wooden swings and climbing frames that lie by the city’s famed 19th century “love bridge”.

Swans and ducks swam by as tourists took selfies on the bridge. “Innocence under attack: what sadness!” read a note left for the victims at the park’s entrance.

I followed my instinct and did everything I could to protect the weak."
Henri

Ms Rieffel wept as she explained that two of the victims were friends of her sister-in-law’s children. “It’s really hard,” she said. “Since yesterday, I have not stopped praying for them. I even lit candles in church. I hope my prayers will be heard.”

“We have a beautiful region. It’s insane that something like that happens. I hope [the assailant] is punished and locked up for a long time,” added Ms Rieffel, who used to work in one of Annecy’s upmarket lakeside hotels.

The motives of the attacker, Abdelmasih H, a Syrian who obtained refugee status in Sweden a decade ago, are still unclear. Local media has reported that police, who arrested him shortly after the attack started, has struggled to interrogate him as he rolled around on the floor screaming “kill me”.

Videos of the attack show him shouting “in the name of Jesus Christ” before stabbing the children. His ex-wife in Sweden, with whom he has a young child, has told the press that they filed for divorce and that he travelled to France late last year, where he was homeless.

“I don’t understand why the police didn’t shoot him,” said a visibly angry man in his late twenties, who declined to give his name, as he was walking with his wife and two small girls, one sleeping in a pram. “Can you believe he attacked a baby like this?” he said, uncovering the pram’s sun shade to show the girl’s face.

The couple have a habit of taking a stroll in the park every morning, but decided against it on Thursday morning as one of their daughters was napping longer than usual. “Thank God,” said the father, making the sign of the cross multiple times on his chest.

They vented their anger at the stabbing incident with Jean, a retiree in his 70s sitting on a bench who also brings his grandson to the park every Wednesday.

“I’m still trembling from shock,” said Jean, who volunteers with a local NGO that feeds homeless people. “To think that I may have given food to the attacker – I just can’t believe it.”

“Whatever your religion, whoever your God is – you can’t attack children,” said Jean.

Yet there is one man that Jean and the young parents did not have kind enough words for. A young Catholic pilgrim, already dubbed the “backpack hero”, was seen on the video of the attack trying to block Abdelmasih H from hurting more children with his backpack and chasing him for several minutes until the police arrived.

Henri, a 24-year-old management and philosophy student, told French TV that he “followed his instinct”.

"I reacted instinctively, "I did not think," he told local media. "To me, it was unthinkable not to do anything.

"I reacted how every French person should.

"Which means, I followed my instinct and did everything I could to protect the weak."

Some drew a distinction with others who were seen in the video jogging past the scene, apparently indifferent. “He deserves a medal,” said Jean.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

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May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

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August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

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The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning. 
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval. 
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
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Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015

- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Updated: June 09, 2023, 10:57 AM