The Latest: Trump urges stronger fight against IS militants

By: The Associated Press

Sunday, March 25, 2018 6:05 AM

TREBES, France (AP) The Latest on the deadly shooting attack Friday in southern France (all times local):

1:35 p.m.

U.S. President Donald Trump says on Twitter the deadly shooting in southern France shows the need for stronger measures in the fight against the Islamic State group, including border security.

Trump tweets "France honors a great hero," citing the bravery of police officer Arnaud Beltrame who died after "swapping places with hostage in ISIS related terror attack."

He says there's "so much bravery around the world" in the fight against IS but adds, "Even stronger measures needed, especially at borders!"

Four people were killed in the attack Friday, including Beltrame. A church service in the town of Trebes was honoring the victims.

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11:40 a.m.

A French bishop has paid tribute to a heroic police officer who lost his life after swapping himself with a supermarket employee in a hostage situation, saying his sacrifice helped save the nation.

Survivors and families of the four victims of Friday's spree of attacks by an Islamist extremist packed the Saint-Etienne-de-Trebes church for Sunday's special Mass honoring Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame.

Members of the region's Muslim community were among those mourning at the special Palm Sunday service in Trebes, in southern France, near Carcassonne, a Medieval tourist magnet. The manager of the supermarket sat in the front row, alongside her husband, the town mayor.

The bishop of Carcassonne and Narbonne, Alain Planet, hailed Beltrame's "extraordinary act, extraordinary devotion," saying "the whole of France has been touched by this."

The Latest: Trump urges stronger fight against IS militants

A man places flowers at the main gate of the police headquarters in Carcassonne on Saturday, March 24, 2018, following an attack on a supermarket in the south of France on Friday. A French police officer who offered himself up to an Islamic extremist gunman in exchange for a hostage died of his injuries, raising the death toll in the attack to four, and the officer was honored Saturday as a national hero of "exceptional courage and selflessness." (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

The Associated Press

A photo of Lieutenant Colonel Arnaud Beltrame placed on a bunch of flowers at the main gate of the Police headquarters in Carcassonne, France, Saturday, March 24, 2018, following an attack on a supermarket in Trebes in the south of the country on Friday. A French police officer who offered himself up to an Islamic extremist gunman in exchange for a hostage died of his injuries, raising the death toll in the attack to four, and the officer was honored Saturday as a national hero of "exceptional courage and selflessness." (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

The Associated Press

A photo of Lieutenant Colonel Arnaud Beltrame placed on flowers at the main gate of the Police headquarters in Carcassonne, France, Saturday, March 24, 2018, following an attack on a supermarket in Trebes in the south of the country on Friday. A French police officer who offered himself up to an Islamic extremist gunman in exchange for a hostage died of his injuries, raising the death toll in the attack to four, and the officer was honored Saturday as a national hero of "exceptional courage and selflessness." (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

The Associated Press

A woman places flowers at the main gate of the Police headquarters in Carcassonne, France, Saturday, March 24, 2018, following an attack on a supermarket in Trebes in the south of the country on Friday. A French police officer who offered himself up to an Islamic extremist gunman in exchange for a hostage died of his injuries, raising the death toll in the attack to four, and the officer was honored Saturday as a national hero of "exceptional courage and selflessness." (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

The Associated Press

People stand next to flowers placed at the main gate of the police headquarters in Carcassonne, France, on Saturday, March 24, 2018, following an attack on a supermarket in the south of France on Friday. A French police officer who offered himself up to an Islamic extremist gunman in exchange for a hostage died of his injuries, raising the death toll in the attack to four, and the officer was honored Saturday as a national hero of "exceptional courage and selflessness." (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

The Associated Press

Police officers stand guard outside the Saint-Etienne-de-Trebes church in Trebes, southern France, Sunday, March 25, 2018, as people arrive for a special church service to honor the heroic police officer and three others killed in a rampage by an Islamic extremist. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Schaeffer)

The Associated Press