Multiple people were injured Wednesday after a driver who screamed “Allahu Akbar” after he was arrested drove through pedestrians on an island off the coast of France.
Ten people were injured, with four in critical condition, after the incident on Ile d’Oléron, according to the BBC.
The man drove between two villages, knocking down anyone who did not get out of his way, Thibault Brechkoff, the mayor of Dolus d’Oléron, said.
Islamist attack in France on the island of Oléron. Shouting “Allah Akbar”, a terrorist in a car ran over pedestrians and cyclists, injuring them pic.twitter.com/twV8x3ccdx
— Léon La Jaunais de Mivoie 🇨🇵 (@ThierryHot1) November 5, 2025
He abandoned the vehicle and set fire to it before trying to escape, Brechkoff said.
“No one has died, and we are hoping that the injured will recover,” he said, according to GB News.
JUST IN – 10 injured, 4 in critical condition in terrorist car ramming attack on the French island of Ile d’Oleron. Driver deliberately rammed into pedestrians, stepped out of car and shouted “Allahu Akbar”. pic.twitter.com/1B6IN1NKwP
— Confidential Post (@TheCPostNews) November 5, 2025
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“At the time of his arrest, (the man) shouted Allah Akbar (Arabic for ‘God is Great’). However, the motive is not confirmed and the investigation will have to determine it,” public prosecutor of La Rochelle Arnaud Laraize said.
A stun gun was used to subdue the suspect.
“It appeared to be a deliberate act,” the prosecutor’s office said.
France’s anti-terrorism investigators are not yet involved in the case.
The driver was a white national in his 30s, according to CNN.
Although the man had no record linking him to terrorism, he has a list of arrests for crimes such as theft and driving under the influence of alcohol.
🚨 BREAKING NEWS: Terror attack shocks France 🇫🇷
A man yelling “Allah Hu Akbar” drove his car into pedestrians in Oleron, leaving 10 injured — 4 critical.
The attacker has been arrested.
Mayor of Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron says he’s “deeply shaken.”France…
— Rohit Singh 🚩🕉️ (@rohitxsinghin) November 5, 2025
Christophe Sueur, mayor of Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron, said the man had relatives who live on the island.
“It all happened very quickly,” the mayor told reporters. “I don’t associate with him, but he is a person who is known, particularly to the police services.”
After the incident, the vehicle had “its front ripped off,” Sueur said.
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