Post date: Dec 13, 2010 4:8:11 PM
Half a dozen children and their teacher are released safely after bieng held hostage for four hours by a teenager armed with two swords at a nursery in the eastern French city of Besancon.
BESANCON, FRANCE (DECEMBER 13, 2010) REUTERS - Half a dozen children and their teacher were released safely on Monday (December 13) after being held hostage for four hours by a teenager armed with two swords at a nursery in the eastern French city of Besancon.
Officials said the man, whom one described as suffering from a personality disorder, had been arrested and was being questioned by police from France's elite hostage rescue police force.
The children, aged four to six, were wrapped in green wool blankets and carried away by relatives who had waited anxiously outside as police negotiated with hostage-taker by telephone.
Officials said the young man turned up at the Charles Fournier nursery shortly before 0900 (0800 GMT) brandishing two swords and mumbling that he "wanted something".
He initially toook around 20 children hostage, later releasing around 14 of them, and finally letting the last half dozen go free, a few hours later.
His motive was still unclear although Education Minister Luc Chatel told reporters he was known to suffer from deprression.
Parents cheered as the children were finally led out of the school following their rescue by police.