10 Injured as Driver Rams into Pedestrians, Cyclists on French Island of Oleron

A 35-year-old man was arrested after deliberately driving his car into pedestrians and cyclists on the French Atlantic island of Oleron, injuring ten people, including four seriously, authorities said on Wednesday.

According to prosecutor Arnaud Laraize, the suspect, a resident of Oleron, “deliberately struck several pedestrians and cyclists” along a main road on the picturesque island located off the western city of La Rochelle.

Upon his arrest, the man reportedly shouted “God is the greatest” in Arabic — a phrase frequently invoked by Islamist extremists, Laraize noted.

Police have detained the suspect and opened an investigation into alleged attempted murder.

The motive for the attack remains unclear.