Nice (AFP)

Carrying "the condolences of the whole nation", Prime Minister Jean Castex paid tribute on Saturday to the victims of the knife attack perpetrated in the basilica of Nice, expressing his "compassion", but also his "indignation" at a "identified" enemy, "radical Islamism".

"It is France which is targeted each time and is the target of terrorism but Nice will have paid a heavy price," said the Prime Minister, referring to this attack and the one which left 86 dead on the Promenade des Anglais on the 14th. July 2016.

"Terrorism attacks who we are, what makes our identity, our freedom, our culture and finally our lives. The enemy, we know him, not only he is identified, but he has one name is radical Islamism, ”said the head of government, who posthumously presented the victims with the national medal of recognition for victims of terrorism.

The ceremony took place in the presence of three other members of the government, former President Nicolas Sarkozy or even LR President of the Senate Gérard Larcher.

Shortly before 10:30 am, under a bright sun, the Marseillaise echoed on the hill of the castle, a park dominating the city and its Mediterranean bay, a strong symbol of resistance in Nice.

The best friend and husband of Nadine Devillers, 60, the first victim of the attack, brought her portrait, a photo of her wedding day.

Then, that of Vincent Loquès, the sacristan of the basilica killed the day before his 55th birthday was brought before the assistance gathered, then that of the third victim, the Franco-Brazilian Simone Barreto Silva, 44 years old, mother of three children , to the catchy melody of a Gilberto Gil song.

After the flame of faith was lit, the actress Muriel Mayette-Holtz, director of the National Theater of Nice, came forward to read a text by the writer Romain Gary before a speech by the mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi .

- "Enter resistance" -

"All three together, you are all the diversity, all the humanity of the people of Nice", declared the elected official, visibly moved and denouncing a "war against all that we are", demanding to "enter into resistance ".

Three cannon shots were symbolically fired at the end of the ceremony, after the Prime Minister's address.

While the orchestra then played "What a wonderful world" by Louis Armstrong, Simone Barreto Silva's family was the first to leave, one of her daughters reeling with grief, supported before being hugged by the husband. by Nadine Devillers.

At the end of this tribute, the head of government spoke with the families of the victims.

He then decorated in the name of the President of the Republic the seven municipal police officers intervened to stop the assailant, saluting "their exemplary courage and composure".

They intervened "at this moment when there was nothing to indicate that the terrorist was alone and had no accomplice in the basilica," he recalled.

On October 29, at 8:30 am, a 21-year-old man, Brahim Aouissaoui, of Tunisian nationality, who arrived in Nice the day before, attacked the three faithful present in the basilica with a knife.

The bishops of France called for "respect and fraternity" in a statement on Saturday, while the collective of "peace imams" called "the Muslim community to show compassion and solidarity towards our Christian sisters and brothers ".

Since the start of the investigation into the attack, in addition to the assailant, eleven people have been taken into custody and all have been released.

Known in Tunisia for acts of violence and drugs, Brahim Aouissaoui had turned to religion for two years and had isolated himself.

Hospitalized in Nice without being able to be questioned, he was transferred on Friday by plane to Paris where the national anti-terrorism prosecution is conducting the investigation for "assassinations in connection with a terrorist company".

© 2020 AFP