A Jewish man has been stabbed in France by an attacker heard shouting “Allahu Akbar” in the latest attack to shake the country.

The victim, Chalom Levy, was taken to hospital after the assault in Strasbourg on Friday morning and is expected to make a full recovery.

Police arrested the attacker at the scene and were holding him in custody while investigating his motives.

Mendel Samama, a local rabbi and good friend of Mr Levy, told The Independent the 62-year-old victim was wearing a Jewish kippa when he was targeted.

“He had been shopping for Shabbat [the Jewish day of rest on Saturday] and he was walking back home when it happened, on the corner right by his house,” Mr Samama said.

“He was stabbed once and the guy shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’, and when he took the knife out to stab him again he ran away.

“I don’t know how he had the power but he managed to run to a bar. I think it saved his life.”

The bar staff barricaded the doors and called the emergency services while helping Mr Levy.

He has been taken to hospital to be treated for a stab wound to his abdomen, which missed any vital organs.

After visiting his friend, Mr Samama said: “He’s in shock, when I spoke to him he was crying. He told me he thinks it’s a miracle, he told me ‘I think God saved me today’.”

Normandy church attack in pictures Show all 16 1 /16 Normandy church attack in pictures Normandy church attack in pictures The victim was the 84-year-old priest at the church, Jacques Hamel. AFP/Getty Normandy church attack in pictures French police at the scene of the attack on a church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, northern France, on July 26 AFP/Getty Images Normandy church attack in pictures More police at the scene BFM TV Normandy church attack in pictures French President Francois Hollande shaking hands with security personnel at the scene AP Normandy church attack in pictures French soldiers standing guard outside the scene of the attack AP Normandy church attack in pictures A policeman secures a position in front of the city hall after two assailants had taken five people hostage in the church at Saint-Etienne-du -Rouvray near Rouen in Normandy Pascal Rossignol/Reuters Normandy church attack in pictures A policeman holds a HKG36 assault rifle as he secures the position in front of the local town hall following the attack REUTERS Normandy church attack in pictures French judicial inverstigating police apprehends a man during a raid after a hostage-taking in the church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray near Rouen in Normandy, France REUTERS Normandy church attack in pictures A French policeman arrests a man following a search in a house on July 26, 2016 in the Normandy city of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, where a priest was killed earlier today in the latest of a string of attacks against Western targets claimed by or blamed on the Islamic State jihadist group. French President Francois Hollande said that two men who attacked a church and slit the throat of a priest had "claimed to be from Daesh", using the Arabic name for the Islamic State group. Police said they killed two hostage-takers in the attack in the Normandy town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, 125 kilometres (77 miles) north of Paris. / AFP PHOTO / CHARLY TRIBALLEAUCHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Normandy church attack in pictures An undated photo shows French priest, Father Jacques Hamel of the parish of Saint-Etienne. Hamel was killed, and another person was seriously wounded after two assailants took five people hostage in the church at Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray near Rouen in Normandy, France, July 26, 2016 in an attack on a church that was carried out by assailants linked to Islamic State. Photo Courtesy of Parish of Saint-Etienne via Reuters NO SALES. NO ARCHIVES. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED BY REUTERS AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS. REUTERS Normandy church attack in pictures The bell tower of the church is seen after a hostage-taking in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray near Rouen in Normandy, France, July 26, 2016. A priest was killed with a knife and another hostage seriously wounded in an attack on a church that was carried out by assailants linked to Islamic State. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol REUTERS Normandy church attack in pictures French policemen stand outside a house during a search in a house on July 26, 2016 in the Normandy village of Saint-Etienne du Rouvray after a priest was killed in the latest of a string of attacks against Western targets claimed by or blamed on the Islamic State jihadist group. French President said that two men who attacked a church and slit the throat of a priest had "claimed to be from Daesh", using the Arabic name for the Islamic State group. Police said they killed two hostage-takers in the attack in the Normandy town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, 125 kilometres (77 miles) north of Paris. / AFP PHOTO / MATTHIEU ALEXANDREMATTHIEU ALEXANDRE/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Normandy church attack in pictures Police officers stand in front of a building during a search operation in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, Normandy, France, following an attack on a church that left a priest dead, Tuesday, July 26, 2016. Two attackers invaded a church Tuesday during morning Mass near the Normandy city of Rouen, killing an 84-year-old priest by slitting his throat and taking hostages before being shot and killed by police, French officials said. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) AP Normandy church attack in pictures Police officers conduct a search in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, Normandy, France, following an attack on a church that left a priest dead, Tuesday, July 26, 2016. Two attackers invaded a church Tuesday during morning Mass near the Normandy city of Rouen, killing an 84-year-old priest by slitting his throat and taking hostages before being shot and killed by police, French officials said. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) AP Normandy church attack in pictures French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve visits the church REUTERS Normandy church attack in pictures A French policeman stands near an armoured vehicle of the French Research and Intervention Brigade (BRI) police during a search in a house on July 26, 2016 in the Normandy village of Saint-Etienne du Rouvray after a priest was killed in the latest of a string of attacks against Western targets claimed by or blamed on the Islamic State jihadist group. French President said that two men who attacked a church and slit the throat of a priest had "claimed to be from Daesh", using the Arabic name for the Islamic State group. Police said they killed two hostage-takers in the attack in the Normandy town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, 125 kilometres (77 miles) north of Paris. / AFP PHOTO / MATTHIEU ALEXANDREMATTHIEU ALEXANDRE/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images

The suspect, said to be mentally ill, is believed to be known to police in relation to another attack on a Jewish victim in 2010.

Mr Samama said the man had recently been held in a psychiatric hospital and that Mr Levy’s family were demanding to know why he had been freed.

He described Mr Levy as a gentle man who “loves taking care of people”.

The grandfather lives with his wife in Strasbourg and is retired, having formerly worked at a local factory.

“He is a very quiet man, a gentle man – he is the type of person you would love to have in your family or in your community,” Mr Samama said.

Europe: Germany and France to beef up security

Judicial police are investigating the suspected anti-Semitic attack, which came in Strasbourg’s Jewish quarter at around 11.45am local time (10.45am BST).

Officers have not confirmed any motive or possible link with foreign terrorist groups.