8 arrested over links with Nice truck attack

Paris: Eight individuals were arrested in southern France with presumed links to the Nice terror attack in which a truck driver ran over and killed 86 persons on July 14, media reported on Tuesday.

The eight new suspects were arrested in Alpes-Maritimes region and were Tunisian and French nationals who had contact with the driver, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the reports, all the suspects were placed into custody.

Bouhlel, 31, rammed a heavy truck into a crowd of revellers gathered along the promenade in Nice to watch fireworks marking Bastille Day.

At least five persons, aged between 22 and 40, have already been under formal investigation and were accused of helping the attacker.

The Islamic State militant group has claimed the attack, saying Bouhlel was one of its “soldiers”.

–IANS