Terrorist who pledged allegiance to ISIS murdered police commander and his wife at their home near Paris

An ISIS militant murdered a police commander and his wife at their home near Paris before being shot dead by officers during a dramatic raid that saw a child hostage rescued. Jean-Baptiste Salvaing, 42, suffered nine stomach wounds at a private address is Magnanville, in the Yvelines department, north of Paris, shortly after 8.30pm. Explosions were heard towards midnight as elite Raid commandos entered the building, where they

killed the attacker who had taken the officer's family hostage.

Inside the house, they found the lifeless body of Mr Salvaing's wife, who also worked for the police force. The only survivor was the couple's three-year-old child. 

This morning, it emerged that the knifeman, named in the French press as 25-year-old Larossi Abballa, was part of a recent investigation into a Syria jihadist network. 

He had also been sentenced in 2013 for taking part in a jihadist organisation with links to Pakistan. 

He was sentenced to three years behind bars, six months of which were suspended for 'criminal association with the aim of preparing terrorist acts' following a trial with seven other defendants.

Despite this, he only spent a few months in prison, and is thought to have maintained his links with a group sending jihadists to fight in Afghanistan. 

It has also been revealed Abballa had previously claimed allegiance to ISIS and sources say he did so again while talking to officers during the siege.  

Meanwhile, the terror group's Amaq news agency said the attacker was an 'Islamic State fighter' and claimed responsibility for the killings.

Witnesses told investigators the man may have shouted 'Allahu akbar' (God is greatest) as he stabbed the policeman repeatedly. 

President Francois Hollande held a top-level security meeting to discuss the 'appalling terrorist act' which took place as France was on high alert for the Euro 2016 football championships. 

Mr Salvaing was an assistant chief with the judicial police at nearby Mureaux, while the dead killer was also from Magnanville. 

Sources close to the inquiry said the attacker had claimed allegiance to the jihadist group while negotiating with police from the elite RAID unit.

'The anti-terror department of the Paris prosecution service is taking into account at this stage the mode of operation, the target and the comments made during negotiations with the RAID,' one source said.

The killing came a day after a gunman claiming to be acting in the name of ISIS shot dead 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, in the worst mass shooting in US history. 

The bloodshed also comes as France hosts the Euro 2016 football tournament under tight security, still reeling from jihadist attacks in Paris last November that left 130 people dead.

Loud detonations were heard at the scene as RAID officers moved in following failed negotiations with the attacker.

Officers found the woman's body when they stormed the building, and the attacker was killed during the assault, interior ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet said.

The couple's young son was 'in shock but unharmed,' a prosecutor added, saying he was receiving medical attention.

French President Francois Hollande said a meeting would be held at the presidential palace this morning, declaring that 'all light will be shed' on the bloody incident. (Dailymail)