Man Charged With 13 Attempted Murders Including British Child After Alps Playground Attack

A man accused of attacking 13 people, including a British three-year-old child, with a knife at a playground in the French Alps is to face trial on multiple attempted murder charges.

Abdalmasih Hanoun has been charged with the attempted murder of all 13 victims following the attack at Le Paquier park in Annecy, southeastern France, in June 2023.

He also faces a charge of armed resistance.

Four children among those attacked

Four young children were among those injured during the attack on 8 June 2023.

They were aged between 22 months and three years old.

The youngest victims included a three-year-old British child who was visiting the area with her parents.

French prosecutors said the British child suffered a single stab wound but was later reported to be in a stable condition.

The other three children included a Dutch national and two French children from the Haute-Savoie region.

Two adults were also injured.

All of the victims were subsequently reported to be out of danger.

Trial expected in Annecy

The French public prosecutor's office confirmed on Wednesday that Hanoun will face trial at the Haute-Savoie Assize Court in Annecy within the next year.

Prosecutors said he would face charges of attempted murder relating to all 13 victims, along with weapons-related violence charges concerning two victims and a charge of armed resistance.

The decision to send the case to trial can still be challenged through an appeal.

The charges remain allegations until determined by the court.

Mental health assessment

As part of the investigation, a panel of experts assessed Hanoun's mental state.

Prosecutors said the experts concluded that he was not suffering from a psychological or neuropsychological disorder at the time of the attack.

The findings meant there were no grounds, according to prosecutors, to prevent the case from proceeding to trial.

The assessment will form part of the evidence considered as the case moves through the French justice system.

Attack shocked the region

The 2023 attack shocked Annecy and attracted international attention because several of the victims were very young children.

In the aftermath, residents and visitors gathered to leave flowers, balloons and other tributes at the park.

The attack also prompted widespread concern because of the age of those involved.

The four children survived their injuries and were reported to be in stable condition shortly after the incident.

A case now moving towards trial

More than three years after the attack, the case is now moving towards a full judicial examination of what happened.

Hanoun will have the opportunity to respond to the allegations against him during the trial.

The court will ultimately determine whether the prosecution has proved the charges beyond the required legal standard.

For the families of those affected, the trial will bring renewed attention to an attack that left four young children and two adults injured.

The case remains ongoing, and Hanoun is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.