
Investigators believe 29-year-old Egyptian national Abdallah El Hamahmy is the man shot five times outside the Louvre yesterday

A man suspected of attacking four soldiers outside the Louvre in Paris posted pro-ISIS tweets moments before it happened yesterday morning, French investigators believe.

Detectives are probing the Twitter account of Egyptian national Abdallah El Hamahmy, who is believed to have arrived in France eight days before the attack.

His father has protested his innocence, and said the father-of-one, whose wife is pregnant, was in France for a business trip.

A machete-wielding man, who the French capital's police chief said was shouting 'Allahu Akbar', was shot five times in the stomach by paratroopers who were patrolling the tourist hotspot.

Among the 12 tweets, posted between 9.27am and 9.34am French time, was one stating: 'In the name of Allah... for our brothers in Syria and fighters across the world.'

Minutes later he referenced ISIS. The Twitter account has since been suspended.

The last tweet posted before the attack, Le Parisen reports, shows a smiling El-Hamahmy leaning against a wall on the account, and other angry messages, including: ‘No negotiation, no compromise, no letting up, certainly no climb down, relentless war.’

El-Hamahmy was tonight under armed guard at the Georges-Pompidou hospital in Paris, after undergoing hours of surgery to remove three bullets from his body, including one in the stomach.

A spokesman for the hospital said his condition was ‘no longer life threatening’.

The suspect's father has said he believes his son is innocent, because he showed no sign of radicalisation.

The suspect's father, Reda El-Hamahmy, a retired police general, said he does not believe his son is guilty

A grainy picture claims to show the immediate aftermath of yesterday's shooting, after a machete-wielding man attacked four soldiers outside the Louvre, which houses many of the world's most famous paintings, including the Mona Lisa

The suspect is in a serious condition after being shot five times in the stomach following an attack on four soldiers yesterday morning

Reda El-Hamahmy, a retired police general, told AFP he had been constantly in touch with his son who worked as a sales manager in Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates.

'He went on a company trip and when it was over visited the museum. He was supposed to leave on Saturday,' Hamahmy said.

'He is a simple guy. We all love him,' he added, saying he had not detected any signs that his son had been radicalised.

And he continued: 'The French government's account is not logical. He was 1.65 metres tall (five foot five) and attacked four guards? And in the end they found nothing in his bags.'

El Hamahmy had reportedly arrived in France from Dubai on January 26, and investigators believe he posted tweets voicing support for ISIS in the build-up to the attack

Suspect: Police are probing the Twitter account of Egyptian national Abdallah El Hamahmy

Mr El-Hamahmy said: 'Our household is a moderate household and mind our own business.'

He said he believed the wounded suspect was his son, Abdallah El-Hamahmy, who he said has had no contact with the family since yesterday.

'National Security (police) came yesterday and asked for information about him, and I gave them whatever I had,' he said.'

Speaking to the al-Hadath TV news channel, he added: ‘All I want is to know the truth and find out whether he is dead or alive.

‘This is all a scenario made up by the French government to justify the soldiers opening fire. He is a very normal young man.’

Abdallah El-Hamahmy is married, with his pregnant wife currently staying in Saudi Arabia with their seven-month old son, his father said.

El-Hamahmy senior said his son had a seven-month-old child, and a brother, Ahmed, who works at the Health Ministry in Dubai.

Based on his phone and visa records, he is thought to be a 28-year-old Egyptian national who is resident in the United Arab Emirates.

An Egyptian Interior Ministry source El-Hamahmy had his visa issued in Dubai, and that he had ‘no previous criminal record, or history of political violence.’

Investigators have established he entered France legally on a flight from Dubai on January 26 and had rented a £1,400-per-week apartment near the Champs Elysee.

El-Hamahmy, a Bayern Munich fan, is said to have bought two machetes at a gun shop in Paris.

He was wearing a in a black tee-shirt with a skull motif when he allegedly rushed at the soldiers, holding a machete in each hand.

Detectives are examining an iPhone 7 and iPad belonging to him.

An Egyptian interior ministry official confirmed the suspect's identity to The Associated Press today, and said an initial investigation found no record of political activism, criminal activity or membership of any militant groups at home.

Large crowds queued to get into the Louvre this morning, after the historic art gallery closed for most of the day yesterday following the attack

After being refused entry to the Louvre, the attacker pulled out the weapon and was shot by a soldier, officials have confirmed. A paratrooper is believed to have suffered a minor head injury.

US President Donald Trump tweeted following the attack in the French capital: 'A new radical Islamic terrorist has just attacked in Louvre Museum in Paris. Tourists were locked down. France on edge again. GET SMART U.S.'

French President Francoise Hollande and Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve both described the attack as 'terrorist in nature'.

An estimated 1,250 people were inside the famous art gallery, home to the Mona Lisa, when the shooting happened. Pictures from inside the museum shows schoolchildren cowering during the emergency lockdown.

The Louvre re-opened today with armed soldiers patrolling around the Paris landmark.

The area around the Louvre museum in Paris has been evacuated after a huge security operation was launched yesterday morning

The United Arab Emirates has condemned the attack officials said the attacker was believed to have been living in the UAE.

UAE officials offered no comment today about his possible connection to the country.

In a statement the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said: 'The UAE, while strongly condemning this hideous crime, affirms its full solidarity with the friendly French Republic in these circumstances and its support for whatever measures France may take to preserve its security and safety of its citizens and residents.'

The ministry called for an intensification of international efforts to fight extremism and terrorism, and praised French soldiers for their response to the attack.

'This terrorist attack on the Louvre Museum, the centre for human civilisation and heritage, exposed the darkness of terrorism and its ceaseless attempts to destroy the human heritage,' it said.

French interior minister Bruno Le Roux yesterday cut short a trip to the Dordogne and visited the injured soldier.

A photo from inside the nearby Carrousel du Louvre shopping mall showed the attacker wearing light trousers and a black top as he lies in a crumpled heap at the bottom of a flight of stairs below the Tuileries Gardens, which are next to the Louvre museum.

He entered at the other side of the complex, on the Rue de Rivoli, where security search bags, and can also ask for identification.

The image was taken by a tour guide who had been leading a group of Chinese tourists. None of them were injured.

Yesterday morning's attack has been branded a 'serious security incident' by the French Interior ministry

After being refused entry, a man pulled out the weapon and was shot by a soldier, according to sources at the scene. A solider is believed to have suffered a head injury

Young children were among those inside the Louvre when the 'serious' security incident happened

US President Donald Trump described the attacker as a 'radical Islamic terrorist' and said France was 'on edge again'

ATTACK RAISES QUESTIONS OVER FRENCH OLYMPIC GAMES 2024 BID The attack on soldiers outside the Louvre took place hours before leaders of Paris' bid for the 2024 Olympics unveil their final candidate files. French officials have repeatedly dismissed security concerns over the bid despite the wave of attacks that have left more than 200 people dead in the country over the past two years. The attack will raise more questions, although bid officials claim the French capital has the experience needed to organize and protect major events if it gets the 2024 Games. Speaking outside the Louvre, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said all big cities in the world are under threat. She said that 'there is not a single one escaping that menace'. Paris, which hasn't hosted the Olympics since 1924, is competing against Budapest and Los Angeles. The International Olympic Committee will choose the host city in September. Advertisement

Soldiers patrolling as part of France’s ongoing State of Emergency stopped the man getting into the building shortly after 9am.

‘He was carrying a suitcase and was refused access,’ said a police source at the scene. ‘The man immediately withdrew a knife, and attacked.

‘It was at this moment that a soldier used his weapon to disable the men, who was wounded. The area has been evacuated.’

A spokesman for the military force that patrols key sites in Paris said the four-man patrol of soldiers tried to fight off the assailant before they opened fire.

Benoit Brulon said a soldier who was slightly injured by the attacker was not the solider who opened fire.

The alleged attacker is in a 'serious condition', officials have said.

Michel Cadot, the Paris prefect, said at the scene: 'He was shot five times in the stomach, but is still alive. A soldier was also injured.'

Mr Cadot said the attack happened at the top of an escalator that leads down into the shopping complex.

He said the knifeman 'appeared to be acting alone', and that the words used pointed to extremist terrorism.

He said he shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ – Arabic for ‘God is the Greates’ – and lightly injured a soldier’s scalp before being ‘neutralised’.

Mr Cadot said the troops had to 'neutralise the attacker' after a soldier was lightly injured by the assailant.

The suspect's rucksack was searched, but there was no sign of any explosives.

Authorities did, however, discover paint bombs in his bag, Le Figaro reports.

Armed officers stand guard in the courtyard outside the Louvre following yesterday morning's attack, which has been described as 'terrorist in nature' by French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve

Large teams of police officers descended on the iconic Louvre museum following yesterday morning's shooting

Soldiers patrolling as part of France’s ongoing State of Emergency stopped the man getting into the building shortly after 9am

The drama unfolded next to the Carrousel du Louvre – a vast underground shopping centre built into the museum complex.

The huge former royal palace in the heart of the city is home to the Mona Lisa and other world-famous works of art but also a shopping complex and numerous exhibition spaces.

It is always packed with thousands of tourists from all over the world, all of whom have their bags inspected before entry. By 11am, the entire area was shut down, as hundreds of extra soldiers and police flooded into the area.

The Rue de Rivoli running alongside the museum was closed to traffic while trains were being pushed through the Palais Royal-Musee du Louvre metro station without stopping.

The emergency response was filmed on live video app Periscope yesterday morning.

Police union official Yves Lefebvre said the man attacked soldiers when they told him he could not enter an underground shopping mall beneath the Louvre with his bags.

Mr Lefebvre says police found two machetes on the man.

The drama unfolded next to the Carrousel du Louvre – a vast underground shopping centre built into the museum complex

French police, soldiers and firefighters in front of the street entrance of the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris yesterday morning after the attack

Visitors were kept in safe areas inside the former royal palace for more than two hours before being evacuated

More than 1,000 people were inside the Louvre when the attack happened, and they were taken to safe areas

A large security operation was launched following the attack, and roads around the Louvre were closed

A message on the Louvre's website said the museum would remain closed 'due to a serious incident' yesterday morning

‘We’ve been told to leave – it’s very frightening,’ said John O’Shea, a 52-year-old Canadian who was with his wife and young son as the drama unfolded.

‘Everybody is talking terrorism, but we really don’t know what’s going on. Apparently a number of shots were fired.’

Restaurant worker Sanae Hadraoui, 32, was waiting for breakfast at the Louvre's restaurant complex when she heard the first gunshot.

She said: 'I hear a shot. Then a second shot. Then maybe two more. I hear people screaming, "Evacuate! Evacuate!

'They told us to evacuate. I told my colleagues at the McDonalds. We went downstairs and then took the emergency exit.'

The attack overshadowed the official announcement of Paris's bid for the 2024 Olympics, which was heralded by a laser show on the Eiffel Tower (pictured)

Hadraoui, who has worked at the Louvre for seven years, said the evacuation was orderly. She was smoking a cigarette when her managers told her people were going back inside.

Paris is on a high state of terrorist alert following murderous attacks by Islamic State operatives in 2015.

On November 13 2015, 130 people were murdered in a single night of violence which included attacks on the Stade de France, the Bataclan concert venue and cafés and restaurants.

French President Francois Hollande tweeted to praise the courage of the soldiers who responded to the attack

The French interior ministry has branded yesterday morning's incident 'serious' in a post on Twitter

Hundreds of specially-trained officers descended on the streets around the Paris landmark following the attack yesterday morning

A COUNTRY UNDER SIEGE: TERROR ATTACKS IN FRANCE OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS A woman is taken to safety following the horrific shootings on November 13, 2015, in which 130 people were killed July 14, 2016 - Amid Bastille Day celebrations in the Riviera city of Nice, a large truck is driven into a festive crowd. Some 86 people from a wide variety of countries are killed. The driver is shot dead. Islamic State extremists claim responsibility for the attack. The state of emergency in France is extended and extra protection, including robust barriers to prevent similar attacks, is put in place at major sites in France. June 13, 2016 - Two French police officers are murdered in their home in front of their 3-year-old son. Islamic State claims responsibility for the slaying, which was carried out by a jihadist with a prior terrorist conviction. He is killed by police on the scene. Nov. 13, 2015 - Islamic State militants kill 130 people in France's worst atrocity since World War II. A series of suicide bomb and shooting attacks are launched on crowded sites in central Paris, as well as the northern suburb of Saint-Denis. Most of those killed are in a crowded theater where hostages are taken. Islamic State extremists claim responsibility and say it was in retaliation for French participation in airstrikes on the militant group's positions in Syria and Iraq. It leads to the declaration of a state of emergency in France. Police powers are expanded. Jan. 7, 2015 - Two brothers kill 11 people inside the Paris building where the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo is headquartered in what Islamic State extremists claim is retaliation for the publication of cartoons about the Prophet Muhammad. More are killed subsequently in attacks on a kosher market in eastern Paris and on police. There are 17 victims in all, including two police officers. The attackers are killed. (Source: AP) Advertisement

A shop worker who was in the shopping centre at the time of the attack said: ‘We heard gunfire and reacted immediately – shutting down the grills in front of the shop, and retreating into the back.’

The 19-year-old man, who asked not to be named added: ‘Once the all-clear was given by the police we got out as quickly as possible. I’m on my way home.

‘You always hear about the possibility of terrorism, especially in the area around the Louvre, but this was the real thing.’

Anne Hidalgo, the Socialist Mayor of Paris, soon arrived at the scene to praise the ‘extreme efficiency’ of the soldiers who foiled what could have been a very serious attack.

Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo (centre) praised the 'extreme efficiency' of soldiers who foiled yesterday morning's attack

Paul Lecher, 68, who was inside the Louvre when the attack happened, said: '(The announcement) came over the loudspeakers that are dotted around.

'Everything happened calmly. It was just a case of listening ... People quickly understood, even those who didn't understand a word of French, that something unusual was happening.'

Visitors were kept inside for a time after the attempted attack.

'There were announcements, then the security guards started running all over the place and after a short period they started gathering everybody up and getting them to one side of the building,' said Lance Manus, 71, from Albany, New York.

Manus and his wife Wendy said security guards made people sit tightly together, away from the windows, and that some children were crying.

'We sat there for over an hour waiting and finally they said we are going to evacuate... as we exited the police were searching and checking everybody.'

THE LOUVRE: A FORMER FORTRESS WHICH BECAME A PUBLIC MUSEUM DURING THE FRENCH REVOLUTION The distinctive pyramid was completed in 1989, and the inverted pyramid beneath it in 1993 The Louvre, now home to tens of thousands of artworks, including Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, was first built as a fortress in 1190. It is the world's second most visited museum, behind the Palace Museum in China, and attracted 7.3 million visitors in 2016. This was down from 8.6 million the previous year. The building was reconstructed as a royal palace in the 16th century, and first used as a museum in 1793 during the French Revolution. Monarch Louis XVI had been imprisoned the previous year, and the royal collection inside the building became public property. The museum was renamed the Louvre Musée Napoléon during Napoléon's reign. Large parts of the building were destroyed by socialist revolutionaries in 1871. Members of the Paris Commune started a fire which lasted for two days, but incredibly the museum survived. The distinctive pyramid and its underground lobby was completed in 1989, and The Inverted Pyramid beneath it was finished in 1993. Historic: The Musée du Louvre, pictured in 1949. became a public museum during the French Revolution after Louis XVI was imprisoned Advertisement

A French Socialist lawmaker who wrote a report on the fight against terror has warned that France faces a 'double menace', coming from both outside the country and from within.

Sebastien Pietrasanta told The Associated Press that 'the worst has yet to come'.

Mr Pietrasanta said that France is likely to be targeted again, either by well-organized cells sent by the Islamic State group, or by lone wolves radicalized in France and capable of launching attacks from one day to the next.

The said: 'We are facing a persistent threat and instability will last for at least one generation.'

He added that military personnel and police officers are particularly targeted by extremists because they represent the French state.

French President Francois Hollande said there is 'no doubt' that the attack on the Louvre Museum was of a 'terrorist nature'.

Speaking at an EU summit in Malta, he said the situation around the Paris landmark museum is 'totally under control' but the overall threat to France remains.

He said he expects the assailant to be questioned 'when it is possible to do so'.

Hollande insisted the incident showed the need for the increased security patrols that have been deployed around France since attacks in 2015 and 2016.

The entire Louvre complex, including the Carrousel du Louvre shopping centre where El- Hamahmy was shot, was open for business as usual today.

Last month, it reported a two million drop in visitor numbers, resulting in a lost of almost £8.6m – all of it blamed on fears about terrorism.

France remains in a State of Emergency following a series of attacks by Islamic State and Al-Qaeda operatives.

The mostly deadly was in Paris on November 13th 2015, when suicide bombers brandishing AK-47 assault rifles murdered 130 people in a single evening.