Elderly priest killed in French church, attack claimed by Islamic State

(REUTERS ) Assailants linked to Islamic State slit the throat of an elderly priest and took several worshippers hostage in a French church on Tuesday before police shot the attackers dead.

It was the latest in a wave of attacks in Europe inspired by the Islamist militant group based in Iraq and Syria that is on the defensive against a U.S.-led military coalition in which France is a major partner.

Police said the knifemen entered the church during morning mass near the northern city of Rouen, west of Paris, killing Father Jacques Hamel, an 85-year-old parish priest, and taking four other people hostage, one of whom was seriously wounded.

Police shot the attackers dead as they emerged from the church with their hostages.

Speaking at the scene of the attack in the Normandy town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, President Francois Hollande said Islamic State had declared war on France and the state should "use all its means" within the law to fight the militant group, against which France has launched air strikes in Syria and Iraq.

The president called it a "dreadful terrorist attack" and told reporters the attackers had pledge allegiance to IS. The IS news agency Amaq said two of its "soldiers" were involved.

"The threat remains very high," Hollande said.

The attack was the latest in a string of deadly assaults including the mass killing in Nice, southern France, on Bastille Day 12 days ago and four incidents in Germany, most recently a suicide bombing at a concert in Ansbach on Sunday.

IS has called for its supporters to take action with any available weapons targeting countries that it has been fighting.

The investigation was handed to the anti-terrorist unit of the Paris prosecutor's office