Seven wounded in Paris knife attack, terrorism ruled out

Seven people were wounded in Paris late Sunday by a knife-wielding man in an attack that bystanders tried to stop by throwing petanque balls at the assailant. 

Four of the victims were in a critical condition after the attacker went on a rampage brandishing a large blade and iron bar in the northeast of the French capital.

Police have arrested a suspect believed to be an Afghan national, but have said that "nothing at this stage shows signs of a terrorist nature".

The attack took place on the banks of the Bassin de la Vilette, a popular cultural area, just after 11pm. 

Eyewitness Youssef Najah, 28, said he was walking when he saw a man running and holding a 25-30 cm long knife. 

"There were around 20 people chasing him. They started throwing petanque balls at him," Najah said, referring to the sport popular in France also known as boules.

"Around four or five balls hit him in the head, but they weren't able to stop him," he added.

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"He had an iron bar in his hand which he threw at the men chasing him, then he took out a knife," he told AFP.According to the same witness, the attacker then dived into an alleyway, where the man "tried to hide behind two British tourists. We said to them: 'Watch out, he has a knife". But they didn't react". 

The pair were then attacked, he said.

A security guard at one of two cinemas on either side of the water said he had seen the attacker running away from two men who were trying to stop him.

A police investigation has been launched for attempted murder, according to a judicial source.

It is the latest of several knife attacks France has seen in recent months, with terrorism being ruled out in most cases.

The motive for the violence remained unclear despite a claim by the Islamic State group that it was an attack by one of its fighters, responding to the terror organisation's propaganda.

Authorities said the 36-year-old had serious mental health problems and had been on a terror watch list since 2016.

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