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French survivor tells of Rouen priest's jihadist murder

Guy Coponet, forced by killers to film murder of Father Jacques Hamel in church at Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, says: 'I can't get over it.'

La rédaction de Mediapart

This article is freely available.

An elderly man left for dead by two jihadists at a church in the French city of Rouen has spoken of the terrifying ordeal for the first time, reports the BBC.

Guy Coponet was forced by the killers to film the murder of 85-year-old Fr Jacques Hamel inside the church at Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray.

"I had to film my friend Father Jacques's murder! I can't get over it," said the 87-year-old parishioner.

Mr Coponet was himself stabbed several times, including once in the throat.

He had to wait 45 minutes for help and told the Famille Chretienne (Christian Family) website he had been very lucky to survive.

"The emergency medic who treated me told me 'you had divine protection because the knife attacks missed your vital organs. But it really wasn't far away - it's like a miracle'."

He, his wife Janine, and three nuns had been attending Fr Hamel's service when the two Islamist militants burst into the church.

Adel Kermiche and Abdel-Malik Petitjean, both 19, were known to French security services. Their attack was claimed by so-called Islamic State (IS).

Kermiche was awaiting trial on terror charges and had to wear an electronic tag, although not during the morning.

Petitjean was on the French security services' S-list for suspects considered a security threat. He had travelled from the south-east Savoie region to carry out the attack.

Both were shot dead by police.

Read more of this report from the BBC.