'Sleepless night' attacker stabs Paris mayor

The Mayor of Paris Bertrand Delanoe was stabbed early today during an overnight concert. City officials said his life was not in danger.

Delanoe was rushed by ambulance to a Paris hospital after an attacker lunged at him with a knife and struck him once in the abdomen, officials said. The mayor's office said the injury was not serious.

He underwent surgery and was transferred to a recovery room shortly before 7 a.m., according to a statement issued by Pitie-Salpetriere hospital in Paris.

France Info radio reported that a 39-year-old man with a criminal record was taken into custody after the 2:30 a.m. attack and was being questioned by police. The motive was not immediately known.

Firefighters and ambulances rushed to the scene minutes after Delanoe was attacked and raced him to the hospital, which was placed under tight security. Four officers stationed at the main entrance checked identification before allowing workers to enter the building, and vehicles were stopped at the gate.

Delanoe, 52, was attending a crowded, all-night party at city hall as part of Paris' first-ever "Sleepless Night" festival. Dozens of museums and tourist attractions, including the Eiffel Tower, were open all night, and concerts and artist exhibits were being held around the French capital.

About 2,000 people had gathered at the opulent City Hall building for a concert of electronic lounge music and other festivities. Delanoe was circulating freely among the crowd when he was stabbed in the "Salle des Fetes," the main ballroom where two live bands were playing.

The Mayoral spokesman David Lamblois said security was kept to a minimum because Delanoe wanted to maintain a relaxed atmosphere. Visitors milled about and were able to enter and leave the building without being searched or questioned. An associate of Delanoe apprehended the suspect: the mayor was not accompanied by security guards.

Delanoe never lost consciousness and even gave the order for the party to continue as he was being taken to the hospital, Lamblois said.

An unknown Socialist politician when he took office in spring 2001, Delanoe has used his term to make good on a campaign pledge to improve the city's quality of life.

He is becoming known for splashy gestures like his widely popular "Paris Beach" project last summer. Palm trees, parasols and sand were placed at the banks of the Seine River, creating a mock beach that drew thousands of sunbathers.

The attack was the second in less than three months against a prominent French politician. On July 14, a man allegedly tried to shoot President Jacques Chirac as he was reviewing troops at the annual Bastille Day military parade in Paris.