Nice terror attack: Two arrested in connection with lorry massacre

Two new arrests have been made in connection to a terror attack in Nice that saw at least 84 people killed after a lorry was driven into crowds of people celebrating Bastille Day, according to a judicial source.

A man named as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel drove his vehicle more than one mile along the coastal French city's Promenade de Anglais, injuring more than 200 people and sending hundreds fleeing in horror. He was eventually shot dead by police.

Isis have claimed responsibility for the attack; however, no evidence has yet emerged to show the 31-year-old Tunisian delivery driver and chauffeur had connections to the terror group.

In the days before the attack, Bouhlel reportedly sent £84,000 to his family in Tunisia by persuading friends to smuggle cash to his family's hometown of Msaken.

His brother, Jaber Bouhlel, told the MailOnline that although Bouhlel had regularly sent money to his family before they were shocked at the recent “fortune”.

Bouhlel's brother also added the killer had suffered from mental health problems and had a history of drug and alcohol abuse.

According to reports, Bouhlel visited the site of the attack in his rented truck on the two days before Thursday's atrocity and had asked a van rental office for “the heaviest truck you have”.

French police are believed to have arrested a man and a woman in Nice on Sunday morning who allegedly have links to Bouhlel, an official with the Paris prosecutor's office, which oversees national terrorism investigations, said.

No details were provided about their identities as authorities attempt to determine whether Bouhlel was acting alone in Thursday night’s attack.

Seven people have now been detained by authorities over the killings. Three people were arrested on Saturday in connection with the incident and two on Friday including the killer's estranged wife.

The five people previously detained are understood to be remaining in custody.

Prosecutor Francois Molins had stated on Friday that the killer was “totally unknown to intelligence services...and was never flagged for signs of radicalisation”. But prime minister Manuel Valls said on Saturday that he was “in one way or another” linked to Islamists and interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve stated he must have been “radicalised very quickly”.

As the names of victims emerged, questions have been raised about the security measures in place during the Bastille Day celebrations.

Regional president Christian Estrosi said a request he had made before the parade for more police officers had been rejected.

He was reported to have said: “There were only 45 national police officers on 14 July. It was not enough. I can't hide that I am angry.”

But government officials were reported to have claimed that there were 64 national and 42 municipal officers on duty as well as 20 soldiers.

Mr Cazeneuve said 12,000 extra police reserves are being called up alongside the 120,000 police and soldiers already in place across the country.

Additional reporting by agencies