Islamic convert, 40, facing terrorism charges after he mows down 13 people in his car while shouting 'God is greatest' in Arabic in French city of Dijon

By Peter Allen In Paris and Jennifer Smith for MailOnline 22:16 21 Dec 2014, updated 11:38 22 Dec 2014

• The 40-year-old man is a known psychiatric patient in French city of Dijon 
• Ploughed his car into crowds of pedestrians at Place du President Wilson 
• Was reportedly heard shouting 'For the children of Palestine' in Arabic 
• French authorities said the unidentified man 'may face terrorism charges'
• Comes days after a knife-yielding man attacked French police station
• Attack may have been inspired by recent Sydney Siege, authorities said  

Thirteen people have been injured after a known psychiatric patient drove into pedestrians shouting 'God is greatest' in Arabic in a French city.

Two of those hit by the driver, who was believed to be drunk, were in a ‘very serious’ condition in the city of Dijon after being struck shortly after 8pm on Sunday night. 

The 40-year-old was arrested by police at the scene and may face terrorism charges, authorities said. 

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Thirteen people were injured in Dijon when a psychiatric patient ploughed his car into a crowd of pedestrians. The 40-year-old, known to police in the area, was arrested at the scene

The incident comes days after a man was shot dead after entering a police station armed with a knife in another French town, slashing two officers while proclaiming his love of Islam.  

Speaking of the attack in Dijon last night, a police source said the man used a Renault Clio to run over 'as many people as he could' before being stopped. 

'Many are suffering with very serious head injuries,’ the source added. 

Pictures showed the injured lying in the road around Place du Wilson as emergency vehicles and anti-terrorism officials arrived to take them to local hospitals.

Among the injured was an 11-year-old child, according to local media. 

The man is known to police, and may have carried out a copycat attack based on terrorist related incidents in his home country, and in Australia.

Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet confirmed that the man was a ‘psychiatric patient’ and used expressions including ‘Allahu Akbar’, or ‘God is Great’.

He was also heard to say ‘For the Children of Palestine’, referring to deaths of more than 500 youngsters during the Israeli military campaign in the Gaza Strip over the summer.

‘According to our information he was acting alone,’ said Mr Brandet. ‘He was arrested in the centre of the city, and was immediately placed in custody.’

He said the man, who has not yet been identified, ‘may face terrorist charges, but that will be a decision for the justice system.’

Psychiatric patient mows down 11 people in Dijon, France

Local reports claim the man is thought to have been drunk when he launched the attack on the group of pedestrians

Investigators survey the scene at Place du President Wilson in Dijon. French authorities said the man, a known psychiatric patient in the area, may face terrorism charges 

Dijon police arrested the 40-year-old man shortly after arriving at the scene this evening 

Roads surrounding the square in the centre of Dijon remained closed for hours as police investigated 

A visibly distressed woman is accompanied across the road by a police officer following the incident 

The square in Dijon (pictured was cordoned off by police following the incident at around 8pm on Sunday

The driver was thought to be heading for a police station in Dijon, but only got as far as surrounding streets before his car was stopped.

It follows security being stepped up at police and fire stations across France after a knife-wielding French convert to Islam was shot dead after attacking three police officers on Saturday.

Bertrand Nzohabonayo was shot dead after entering a police station in the central town of Joue-les-Tours armed with a knife, seriously wounding two officers, including slashing one in the face.

Nzohabonayo, who had posted an IS flag on his Facebook account, was a French national born in Burundi in 1994.

He was also heard shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ during the assault, as local prosecutor Jean-Luc Beck said investigators would seek to determine whether ‘he acted alone or if he acted on orders.’

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve visited the scene of the attack on Saturday, saying he had ordered ‘security measures to be stepped up’ for all officers.

The attack comes days after Bertrand Nzohabonayo was shot dead after entering a French police station with a knife and injuring two officers

Dijon incident just day after police attack in Joue-les-Tours

Nzohabonayo had previously committed petty criminal offences but was not on a domestic intelligence watch-list.

His brother was being watched, however, and had considered going to fight in Syria.

Governments around the world have been braced for further ‘lone wolf’ attacks by individuals who show their support for IS, which now controls huge parts of Syria and Iraq.

Last week in Sydney, Australia, Man Haron Monis , an Iranian-born Islamist with a history of extremism and violence entered a cafe and held people hostage for 16 hours.

Three people, including the attacker, died in an assault by special forces.

The main suspect in the murders of four people at Brussels’ Jewish Museum in May, is Mehdi Nemmouche, a Frenchman who spent more than a year fighting with extremists in Syria.

Authorities in France believe around 1,200 French nationals are involved in jihadist networks in Iraq and Syria.

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said security had been 'stepped up' for police officers across France in the wake of the attack last week

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Source http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2882906/Islamic-convert-shouting-God-greatest-injures-13-people-driving-crowds-French-city.html