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The Latest: Pope condemns southern France attack

Posted March 26, 2018 7:00 am

The Associated Press

A photo of Lieutenant Colonel Arnaud Beltrame placed on a bunch of flowers at the main gate of the Police headquarters in Carcassonne, France, Saturday, March 24, 2018, following an attack on a supermarket in Trebes in the south of the country on Friday. A French police officer who offered himself up to an Islamic extremist gunman in exchange for a hostage died of his injuries, raising the death toll in the attack to four, and the officer was honored Saturday as a national hero of "exceptional courage and selflessness." (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) The Associated Press

PARIS (AP) - The Latest on the southern France attack (all times local):

4 p.m.

The pope has condemned the attacks in southern France, while lauding the "heroic act" of the French policeman who died after taking the place of a supermarket employee held hostage by an Islamic extremist.

Pope Francis has sent a telegram offering condolences for the loss of life in the attacks, and sympathy to the injured and their families and all those affected. He added: "I particularly welcome the generous and heroic act of Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame, who gave his life to protect people."

The pope said that "I condemn such acts of indiscriminate violence which cause so much suffering, and fervently ask God for the gift of peace."

The rampage Friday claimed four victims, including Beltrame, two others in the supermarket and a carjacking victim. The Morocco-born attacker was killed by police when they stormed the supermarket, with Beltrame's help.

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9:30 a.m.

A French judicial official says the partner of the Islamist extremist who carried out an attack last week in southern France was, like him, known to police as radicalized.

The 18-year-old woman was still being detained Monday by police for questioning in the case, as well as a 17-year-old friend of gunman Radouane Lakdim, the official said. He was speaking anonymously to discuss the ongoing investigation.

Lakdim was known to police for drug-dealing, and since 2014 had been on the so-called "Fiche S" list, a government register of individuals suspected of being radicalized but who have yet to perform acts of terrorism.

Four people were killed in a carjacking and the supermarket attack Friday near the city of Carcassonne.

Lakdim was killed by police who stormed the supermarket.

Police officers stand guard outside the Saint-Etienne-de-Trebes church in Trebes, southern France, Sunday, March 25, 2018, as people arrive for a special church service to honor the heroic police officer and three others killed in a rampage by an Islamic extremist. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Schaeffer) The Associated Press

A man places flowers at the main gate of the police headquarters in Carcassonne on Saturday, March 24, 2018, following an attack on a supermarket in the south of France on Friday. A French police officer who offered himself up to an Islamic extremist gunman in exchange for a hostage died of his injuries, raising the death toll in the attack to four, and the officer was honored Saturday as a national hero of "exceptional courage and selflessness." (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) The Associated Press

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