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A driver “shouting Allahu Akbar” has ploughed his car into a crowd of pedestrians on a French holiday island, according to reports. The male driver rammed into pedestrians and cyclists on the island of Ile d’Oléron, off the Atlantic Coast, on Wednesday morning, France’s interior minister Laurent Nunez said. At least ten people were injured, including four critically. Suspect ‘known to police’ The suspect has been arrested by police and an investigation has been opened, Mr Nunez added. Christophe Sueur, the mayor of Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron where the incident occurred, said the driver was “known” to police. “He is someone who is known, particularly to the police, for behaviour that is not entirely normal, and for alcohol-related problems,” the mayor told BMTV. Mr Sueur also revealed that the driver “intentionally set fire to his vehicle” after ramming pedestrians and cyclists before being stopped by police. Driver ‘shouted Allah Akbar’ The country’s anti-terrorism prosecutor has not been included in the investigation at this stage. The driver’s rampage, which began at around 8.45am on Wednesday, took place between the towns of Dolus-d’Oléron and Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron. According to local reports, the driver deliberately steered his car toward pedestrians and cyclists. At the time of his arrest, the suspect “shouted Allah Akbar”, Arnaud Laraize, public prosecutor in La Rochelle, said. “However, the motive has not been confirmed and the investigation will have to determine this,” he added. ‘Suspect is French national’ Shortly afterwards, police found gas cylinders inside the suspect’s car, which had only partially caught fire, Le Parisien reported. The driver was taken into custody at the Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron police station. Police are investigating whether the man was suffering from mental health issues. According to French media, the man is a French national in his thirties and lives in La Cotiniere, a village on the west coast of the island of Oleron. He is not listed in the country’s database used to monitor potentially radicalised individuals. Mr Nunez is expected to visit the French island at the request of Sebastien Lecornu, the Prime Minister.
