FORCED TO KNEEL DOWN.....BUTCHERED AT ALTAR (ANOTHER TERROR IN FRANCE)

Islamist knifemen forced priest, 84, to kneel before they slit his throat on camera: Jihadists carry out slaughter in church then give 'Arabic sermon'... and now Hollande says 'We're at war with ISIS'

Five people including the 84-year-old priest, two nuns and two parishioners were held by assailants who raided the church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray near Rouen in Normandy at 9am. The clergyman, named as Jacques Hamel (right), is believed to have been beheaded during the attack while another hostage is fighting for life in hospital. The two attackers were 'neutralised' by marksmen as they emerged from the building, which is now being searched for explosives.

French president Francois Hollande said the men 'claimed to be from' ISIS while the terror group has claimed responsibility for the killing through its news agency. There were reports the attackers shouted 'Allahu Akbar' as they ran out of the church while at least one of the men was dressed in Islamic clothing.

French President Francois Hollande, who visited the scene today, said the country is now 'at war' with ISIS after the terror group claimed responsibility for the attack.

It comes as it emerged that the building was one of a number of Catholic churches on a terrorist 'hit list' found on a suspected ISIS extremist last April. There are also reports that one of the attackers was a local resident who was under electronic tag surveillance having been jailed in France for trying to travel to Syria in 2015. His bail terms allowed him to be unsupervised between 8.30am and 12.30pm - the attack happened between 9am and 11am.

French authorities say they have arrested a third man in connection with the attack. Armed police are pictured making an arrest at a house in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray

One of the killers was a French 19-year-old named as Adel Kermiche, who was being monitored by electronic tag after being jailed for twice attempting to join ISIS in Syria.

After being released from jail early, his bail terms allowed him to be unsupervised between 8.30am and 12.30pm. The attack happened between 9am and 11am.

He is understood to have forced the elderly priest to kneel while his accomplice, who also lived locally and was on a terrorist watchlist, filmed the brutal killing.

A third man, a 17-year-old known as HB and believed to be a relative of Kermiche, was arrested at his home in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray following the attack.

Reference: Dailymail