Afghan Held After French Migrant Activist Murdered

Cherbourg, France, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th May, 2020 ) :French police are holding a man of Afghan nationality after a prominent activist in the north of France who helped migrants was bludgeoned to death at his home, prosecutors said Wednesday.

The attacker entered the home of Jean Dussine in Bretteville, just outside the northern port city of Cherbourg, before hitting him repeatedly with a blunt object.

Cherbourg prosecutor Yves Le Clair told AFP that the attacker appeared to have come to Dussine's home with the specific intention of killing him.

The suspect has confessed but "has given no information on what motivated his actions or on his relationship to the victim," Le Clair said.

Jean Dussine, 63, had headed a local migrants assistance organisation called Itinerance since 2016 and also hosted migrants at his own home.

The suspect was chased down by six migrants who were living at Dussine's home. They later made clear to police that the attacker had not been living there.

Local politicians paid tribute to the victim, with senator Philippe Bas of the right-wing Republicans saying he was "devastated by the murder of Jean Dussine whose generosity was known by all and prompted admiration".

Northern France is a hub for migrants who have fled international trouble spots, with many hoping to travel on clandestinely to Britain.