French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero are at a memorial service near Paris Tuesday for Jean-Serge Nérin, the French police officer who was killed by a suspected Basque militant
by FRANCE24
French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Spain's Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero are at a memorial ceremony near Paris Tuesday for the French policeman shot dead by a suspected ETA Basque commando on March 16.
Jean-Serge Nérin, 52, will be buried privately in the Paris suburb of Melun.
A national memorial service will be held at the Seine-et-Marne police headquarters, where an outdoor movie screen has been installed so Nérin’s police department colleagues can follow the ceremony.
French Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux and his Spanish counterpart Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba will also attend the ceremony, as well as French Justice Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie.
Nérin, a father of four, was shot dead as he tried to pull over a speeding car in the Paris suburban area of Seine-et-Marne. The car’s passengers were suspected members of Basque terrorist group ETA, who had just carried out an armed robbery and were making their escape.
His death, which occurred shortly after that of another policeman in Seine-et-Marne who was also killed while on duty, sent shock waves through France. Numerous police blogs and websites have also called for servicemen to form an honour guard before the church of Dammarie-Les-Lys, where his religious service will be held.
Nérin has been awarded a post-mortem “Légion d’honneur”, France’s highest distinction for service to the nation.
Last Wednesday, French anti-terrorism police arrested a 27-year-old man who identified himself as an ETA member. Police are currently searching for five others in connection with the murder.
France24
