France, US hail American ‘heroes’ who overpowered train gunman

The French and US governments have hailed three American men as “heroes” after they overpowered a heavily-armed gunman on a train in northern France.

“The passengers were particularly courageous and showed great bravery in very difficult circumstances,” French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve said. "Without their composure we could have been confronted with a terrible incident."

In a statement, US President Barack Obama also praised the American passengers, who included two off-duty US military personnel.

"The president expressed his profound gratitude for the courage and quick thinking of several passengers, including US service members, who selflessly subdued the attacker," the White House said. "It is clear that their heroic actions may have prevented a far worse tragedy."

The incident happened on Friday aboard the high-speed Thalys service near Arras, and the attacker – a 26-year-old Moroccan - was arrested at Arras station.

French authorities said the attacker had injured three people, two of them seriously - one with a gunshot wound, the other a knife wound.

The gunman's weapons were said to include a Kalashnikov, a knife, an automatic pistol and cartridges.

Anti-terrorist officers have taken over the case.

French media report that the arrested man was known to the intelligence services but that he has so far refused to talk to police in Arras.

Two of the American men who overpowered the gunman, Spencer Stone and Alek Skarlatos, are members of the Air Force and the National Guard respectively.

Their friend, Anthony Sadler, was travelling with them on the train and described the scene.

"As he was cocking it to shoot it, Alek just yells, `Spencer, go!' And Spencer runs down the aisle. Spencer makes first contact, he tackles the guy, Alek wrestles the gun away from him, and the gunman pulls out a box cutter and slices Spencer a few times. And the three of us beat him until he was unconscious."

Spencer Stone remains in hospital.

Chris Norman, a British man living in France, was also hurt while trying to subdue the attacker.

"I came in at the end of it all and helped get him under control," he told a press conference in Arras. "The guy pulled out a cutter and started cutting Spencer - he cut behind his neck and nearly cut his thumb off."

Authorities in Arras awarded medals for bravery to Norman and the three American men.