the three Americans who overpowered the Muslim terrorist on the Thalys train and prevented a carnage receive the Légion d'honneur

from left to right: Anthony Sadler, Spencer Stone and Alek Skarlatos, accompanied by the American Ambassador to France Jane Hartley, at the American Embassy in Paris, 23 August 2015

The Americans Spencer Stone, 23, Alek Skarlatos, 22 - two soldiers on leave (ironically) from Afghanistan - their friend Anthony Sadler, 23, and British man Chris Norman, 62, were made Chevaliers de la Légion d'honneur by the French President. François Hollande saluted the heroes who "incarnent le bien de l'humanité".

Armed patrols at the destination station of the Thalys train, the Gare du Nord in Paris, have been stepped up to confront the Muslim terrorist menace -- but in a station used by 550,000 people a day, looking for them is like looking for a needle in a haystack ("cherche une aiguille dans une botte de foin").  France has around 7 million Muslims or suspected Muslims, and it's not possible to watch more than a few thousand of them.

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Meanwhile, the Muslim's lawyer, Sophie David, has provided some light relief by asserting he found the weapons in a suitcase in the park next to the Midi Station in Brussels. "He planned to hold up the train, then shoot out a window and jump out to escape."  Lawyers are noted for coming up with preposterous statements, but that has to take the prize for the year.