×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Tuesday
09
Jun 2026
weather symbol
Athens 30°C
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • World
  • Diaspora
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Mediterranean Cooking
  • Weather
Contact follow Protothema:
Powered by Cloudevo
> World

Greek-American US serviceman among passengers that subdued terrorist

Obama praises heroism during high-speed train attack

Newsroom August 22 06:04

Δείτε περισσότερα άρθρα μας στα αποτελέσματα αναζήτησης

Add Protothema.gr on Google

US President has Barack Obama praised the heroism of three Americans, including a Greek-American serviceman from Oregon, who subdued a gunman on a high-speed train speeding from Amsterdam to Paris on Friday.
The Moroccan suspect was beaten unconscious by passengers on the train, but not before injuring one man severely.

The trio of Americans were identified as Anthony Sadler, a college student in Sacramento, and two US military personnel:
Spencer Stone of Sacramento and National Guardsman Alek Skarlatos of Roseburg, Oregon.
Belgian authorities, who lead the investigation, given that the incident occurred as the train was in Belgium believe the attack was an act of terror.
Belgian federal prosecutors said they were working closely with France and had opened their own inquiry “on the basis that the suspect had boarded the train in Brussels”.
The Associated Press reports that the Belgian government has stepped up rail security.
Before the incident, Spanish authorities had warned Belgium about a suspect in the country with links to Islamic extremists. However, the suspect held in France has not been officially identified.
French actor Jean-Hugues Anglade who was on board the train accused staff of barricaded themselves in their office during the altercation with the attacker, and not letting passengers in even when they were banging on the door.
“Mr Anglade has seen what he has seen, something very traumatizing. I can only tell you what we told our agent. And the second officer walked around the train just after the shooting. All this happened very quickly. What I know to say is that the Thalys train staff fulfilled its mission.”

Skarlatos: He gun was faulty

According to Skarlatos, who restrained the attacker on the train, it appeared his weapon was faulty.
“If that guy’s weapon would have been functioning properly I don’t even want to think about how it would have went…”
gr_am2
He also said that the attacker did not seem to know how to handle the gun properly.
Skarlatos told Sky News: “I grabbed the handgun, got the handgun away from the guy and threw it. Then I grabbed the AK which was at his feet and started muzzle-thumping him in the head with it.
“Everybody just started beating on the guy while Spencer held the choke hold, until he went unconscious at that point. People started to restrain him.”
Skarlatos – who said that everyone was just reacting on “adrenaline” – picked up the AK-47 and checked the other cars to ensure there was not another gunman.
Skarlatos returned to car 12, where it all started, cleared the weapons and put them in a pile.
He told Sky News: “I noticed when I removed the round in the chamber of the AK that the primer had been struck, which means he pulled the trigger on the AK.
“The primer was just faulty, so the gun did not go off, luckily, and he did not know how to fix it, which was also very lucky.
“When I cleared the handgun I also noticed that there was no magazine in it – so he had either dropped it accidentally or did not load it properly. He was only able to get what appeared to be one shot off with the handgun.”

gr_am3

Ask me anything

Explore related questions

> More World

Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news

See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr

> Latest Stories

Bag made from Tyrannosaurus fossils expected to fetch up to $500,000 at Paris auction

June 9, 2026

Aegio murder case: Shirt of 65-year-old found with possible blood stains, scratch marks on his hands – He denies involvement

June 9, 2026

U.S. helicopter crew rescued by maritime drone after crash near the Strait of Hormuz

June 9, 2026

Major international brands double down on mykonos as new luxury hospitality projects arrive

June 9, 2026

Feeding the Homeless: St. Nicholas Hosts Midnight Run on June 14

June 9, 2026

Fire in Pefka, Thessaloniki: 112 alert issued to residents; Aircraft and helicopter deployed

June 9, 2026

Working meeting of Lina Mendoni with Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem in Athens

June 9, 2026

Papastavrou on Fox Business: Greece is a strategic U.S. energy ally and a force for stability in the Eastern Mediterranean

June 9, 2026
All News

> Greece

In reverence, the emotional deposition in Jerusalem, see photos & video

The Holy Temple of the Resurrection opened after many days due to the war between Israel and Iran

April 10, 2026

In the final stretch for the accreditation of joint master’s degrees: Aiming for their launch in the coming academic year

April 10, 2026

Schedule for Epitaph Procession today (10/4)

April 10, 2026

Perfect weather for Easter excursions, according to Tsatrafyllia’s forecast

April 10, 2026

Easter in Greece: The customs that continue in Greek tradition – From Nafpaktos to Corfu

April 10, 2026
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2026 Πρώτο Θέμα