Prosecutor: Gunman's ex-wife arrested

“After about 1am this morning we began working and activated an anti-terrorist unit in Paris,” the prosecutor continues. “Four magistrates were deployed to Nice and have been working tirelessly since.”

He says that investigators “looked at attempts of assassinations and any links to terrorist operations. We looked at organized groups and any links to terrorist groups”.

He then outlines more details of the attack, saying that the attacker rented the truck on 11 July, and that it “should have been returned on the 13th of July”.

He drove about 2km down the promenade, and fired repeatedly at three policemen when they confronted him near a hotel. Gun shots were exchanged but the truck continued for 300m – the police “eventually found the driver dead in the passenger seat”, the prosecutor says.

In the cabin was one automatic firearm, a charger, bullets, as well as a second automatic weapon. There were also two Kalashnikovs and M16s, also firearms, one grenade, one mobile telephone, and various documents which are still being examined. We also found a driver’s card and and a card under the name”

He was born on 3 January 1975 in Tunis with residence in Nice, he says. The gunman was “a chaffeur and deliveryman”. “His ex-wife was detained at 11am this morning.”