Mark Moogalian, Hero of France – 2015 Thalys Train Attack

In 2015, the name of a 51 years old lecturer at Sorbonne Mark Moogalian was inscribed in the list of Heroes of France. Back then, his sister Julia told The Telegraph that President of France François Hollande had invited Moogalian for dinner after he gets better.

Mark Moogalian was the first passenger to intervene a terrorist attack aboard an Amsterdam-Paris train. He managed to disarm the 25 years old citizen of Morocco Ayoub El-Khazzani who had managed to open fire and wound one passenger.

Julia Moogalian said that her brother had been wounded in the neck and also injured in the left hand. Due to his condition, Mr. Moogalian was unable to be present at the awards ceremony of the President of France. François Hollande announced that he will award Mr. Moogalian the Légion d’Honneur, the highest decoration of France, as soon as he gets well enough.

According to France 24, awarding the rest of the passengers of the train, François Hollande remarked that they had been able to show the might of resistance. “You also taught a lesson of courage,” said François Hollande, “The whole world admires your bravery, reason, and your spirit of solidarity. This has to become an example, a source of inspiration.”

After the arrest of Ayoub El-Khazzani, his lawyer announced that El-Khazzani denies any terrorist attack, instead claiming that his only intent was to rob the passengers. El-Khazzani’s father also said that he wasn’t aware of the reasons behind his son’s act.