"Speaking to The National, Sofia Koller, senior research analyst at the Counter Extremism Project, said: 'The motivation is not clear yet.

'Some media and parts of the public are quick to judge when they see it was a foreign-looking man with a knife, and assume it was a terror attack.'

There are continuing debates and discussions in France and Europe on asylum seekers and immigration, Ms Koller said, speaking from Germany.

'So I think this attack really comes at the worst timing because the debate is quite present at the moment. So this attack might have an even higher impact on French society,' she said."

"Speaking to The National, senior research analyst at the Counter Extremism Project Sofia Koller said it was important for the public to stay well-informed during and after an attack to ensure they have all the facts before making judgments.

'It's very early to speak about it being a terror attack because the motivation is not clear yet,' she said."

"On this week’s episode of 'The Hunt' with WTOP national security correspondent J.J. Green, Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler lays out the consequences, as France ends counterterrorism operation in the Sahel region."

CEP Senior Research Analyst Sofia Koller writes:  "After three years of obstacles and indecision, France has finally decided to repatriate some of its citizens. While bringing people affiliated with ISIS back to French soil might seem incredibly risky at best and naive at worst, repatriation is still the most effective solution to the foreign fighter dilemma."

CEP Senior Research Analyst Sofia Koller writes: "Während Politik, Forschung und Zivilgesellschaft weiterhin diskutieren, wie Radikalisierung und Islamismus eigentlich zu verstehen ist, bereitet Frankreich vor allem der Umgang mit bereits radikalisierten oder straffällig gewordenen Personen große Schwierigkeiten. Seit etwa 2014 hat das Land aber wichtige Fortschritte gemacht: in den Präfekturen koordinieren nun die CPRAF die multiprofessionelle Betreuung relevanter Personen, im Strafvollzug wachsen Evaluierungs- und Betreuungsangebote und die Ergebnisse einer kürzlichen Studie zu speziellen Programmen für entlassene Straftäter wie PAIRS stimmen vorsichtig optimistisch. Da Deradikalisierungs- und Distanzierungsprozesse komplex sind und Monate oder Jahre dauern können, wird sich jedoch erst langfristig zeigen, wie effektiv die französische Ausstiegsarbeit wirklich ist."