Attack on the Louvre: Museum reopens, alleged attacker 'sent pro-Isis tweet'

The Louvre Museum has reopened its doors to the public less than 24 hours after four French soldiers were attacked with a machete. The reopening of the Louvre comes as it has been reported that the assailant posted pro-Islamic State (Isis) tweets before the attack.

On Friday (3 February) a machete-wielding assailant attacked the soldiers while shouting "Allahu Akbar" or "God is great" in Arabic at around 10am.

French prosecutors have confirmed that they believe the knifeman was Egyptian national Abdallah al-Hamahmy, who is alleged to have arrived in France eight days before the attack.

The attacker allegedly "lightly wounded" one soldier.

The world's busiest museum was closed immediately with around 250 visitors remaining inside. But this morning (Saturday, 4 February) the museum reopened its doors, albeit under increased security, after a number of police raids through the night in the Paris area.

The alleged attacker, said to have been carrying two backpacks, was stopped at the entrance to the underground Carrousel du Louvre shopping mall, which lies underneath the museum, and was told that he could not bring his bags into the museum. It is claimed that he then began his assault where he was shot five times in the stomach and the leg leaving him in a life-threatening condition.

It was reported by Reuters that the man's condition has "markedly improved" since the incident on after speaking to an official at the prosecutor's office the next day.

French newspaper, Le Parisen, reported that al-Hamamy posted pro-IS tweets moments the attack was reported. They said that the allegedly wrote 12 tweets, posted between 9.27am-9.34am in French time, was one stating: "In the name of Allah… for our brothers in Syria and fighters across the world."

Al-Hamahmy, is reportedly a father-of-one, and arrived in France from Dubai on 26 January, and the newspaper reported that the last tweet posted before the attack reports, said "no negotiation possible", and said there is 'no peace in war'." The Twitter account has now been suspended.

But despite the allegations al-Hamamy's father, Reda al-Hamahmy, a retired police general, protested his son's innocence, saying to Agent France Press (AFP) he had been constantly in touch with his son who worked as a sales manager in Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates, and he showed no signs of radicalisation.

"He went on a company trip and when it was over visited the museum. He was supposed to leave on Saturday," Hamahmy said. "He is a simple guy. We all love him".

He added: "The French government's account is not logical. He was 1.65 metres tall (five foot five) and attacked four guards? And in the end they found nothing in his bags."