Hostage taker in France wants to commit suicide

Four pre-school children and their teacher have been freed after being held hostage by a sword-wielding teenager, Sky News reported.

Elite police officers negotiated the safe release of the youngsters from the Charles Fourier nursery in Besancon, eastern France, and the 17-year-old hostage-taker is in custody.

The troubled teen - who is said to suffer from psychological problems, originally took 20 children hostage, aged between four and six years old, at about 8.15am.

But he released 14 of them two hours later, escorted by their teaching assistant who later returned to the classroom as ordered by the hostage-taker.

Besancon mayor Jean-Louis Fousseret had told French Info radio he felt "optimistic" about the situation before police entered the building.

The young man had stormed the classroom "declaring that he wanted something", said Mr Fousseret, however he did not expand on what the youth had demanded.

Unconfirmed rumours claim the boy requested a gun with which to commit suicide.

Other classes in the school were evacuated and children's families were offered psychological and medical assistance.
Education minister Luc Chatel also visited the scene and spoke to the relatives involved.

Mr Fousseret's aide, Jean-Marc Magda, told reporters the hostage-taker had a "personality disorder" and that contact had been made with his doctor before police entered the building.

It is thought the young man had not taken his medication in recent days.
The nursery is located in the Planoise neighbourhood of Besancon, an area with many housing projects and a large immigrant population.