New Zealanders remember Nice attack victims

  • 18/07/2016
New Zealanders remember Nice attack victims

A minute's silence is being held today in Wellington to remember the victims of the terror attack in the French city of Nice.

Eighty-four people were killed after Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel drove a truck through crowds celebrating Bastille Day.

The memorial will be held at midday outside of the French Embassy's Manners Street.

The embassy says anyone is welcome to take part in the moment, wherever they are.

Meanwhile, counter-terrorism expert Paul Buchanan says we can expect more terror attacks as Islamic State (IS) starts losing its grip on power.

The terrorist group claimed responsibility for the atrocities in Nice, although there is no evidence Mohammed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was responding to a call to target citizens or had any contact with them.

Mr Buchanan says the terror group's days are numbered, "until finally the last of the lone wolves and small cell types are detected, elimatated and/or prevented  from continuing those attacks. But that time will come, and it will come in the measure that more countries are attacked."

He says as IS is defeated in Syria and Iraq, it will resort to attacks on easier targets.

"That doesn't mean that they don't have the ability to retreat, go underground, disperse and resurface as unconventional warfare actors in far-off places, because - among other things - social media gives them the outreach."

Lahouaiej-Bouhlel had not been flagged by intelligence services but was known to police for petty crimes.

Lahouaiej-Bouhlel's father said he was having a nervous breakdown prior to the Bastille Day attack.

Newshub.