Paris police shoot attacker near Notre Dame Cathedral

Police in the French capital, Paris, have shot and injured an attacker near the Notre Dame Cathedral.

Passers-by were advised on Tuesday to stay away from the church after reports emerged of an attack by a hammer-wielding man on police officers.

"Situation under control, one policeman injured, the assailant was neutralized and taken to hospital,” read a short statement posted by police on Twitter.

Paris prosecutor's office said it had launched a counter-terrorism investigation.

Witnesses said large numbers of police cars were present at the scene of the alleged attack on the Ile de Cite island in the River Seine in the center of Paris.

Tourists panicked by the incident were fleeing the cathedral and surrounding areas for cover, French TV said. A police spokeswoman said 900 people were still inside the cathedral.

Notre Dame, one of France's biggest attractions, is frequented by many tourists each day.

French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said the assailant shouted "this is for Syria" before being shot.

He was found to have a document identifying him as an Algerian student. Authorities were checking the authenticity of the document, the minister said.

Many have blamed certain Western governments for supporting militants operating against the government in Syria. Some observers believe the support for those militant groups has backfired and some have raised concern about the return of foreign militants to their home countries in Europe seeking to realize their radical ideology through acts of terror.

France is still under a state of emergency due to recurrent terrorist threats. More than 120 people were killed in a matter of one night in November 2015, when attackers carried out shootings and explosions in several parts of the French capital. More than 100 others have been killed in other attacks across the country since then. Many of the attacks have targeted major places of gathering, including tourist attractions in Paris and other cities.

A police officer was killed on April 20 on Paris' Champs-Elysees avenue, another prestigious location visited by tourists.

French authorities have defined the highest possible level of alert in the country, days after attacks in London which killed seven people. One of those slain in the weekend assaults in the British capital was a French national.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk