Killers betrayed their God, Hollande tells memorial service for Paris victims

The fanatics behind the murderous Paris attacks had betrayed their religion, French president Francois Hollande told a memorial service for their 130 victims on Friday. The killers belonged to a “death cult”, were driven by an “insane cause” and had “betrayed their God”, he told 1,000 people who gathered at at Les Invalides in the heart of the city. “France will do its utmost to destroy this army of fanatics. France will act in order to protect its children,” Mr Hollande added. He spoke after the names of the victims were read out while their faces were beamed on to a giant screen. A minute’s silence followed, broken by the melancholic strains of a solo cellist, playing Bach’s Sarabande.

France will be by your side. We will gather together our strength to try to ease your pain.

Francois Hollande

Relatives joined the wounded, some in wheelchairs, at the service. Mourners included the parents of Briton Nick Alexander, who died in the Bataclan concert hall massacre two weeks ago. In a statement, Barry and Sheelagh Alexander said: “This is just the beginning of a long road where we will have to get used to the absence of his physical presence around us – a physical presence that we loved so much, that made us laugh, that we loved being with, and always held us close wherever he was.” But one family boycotted the service, blaming the French government and security services for failing to prevent the attacks. Emma Prevost, who lost her brother Francois-Xavier in the rampage, said on Facebook: “So, no thank you Mr President, politicians, your tribute we do not want.”

You were partly responsible for what happened to us. It was earlier that there was a need to act. The attacks in January should have been sufficient.

Relative Emma Provost berates Francois Hollande

Europe paris memorial