Noor Mukadam, the 27-year-old daughter of a former ambassador, had made repeated attempts to escape the sprawling mansion but was blocked by two members of staff.

Alarmed locals alerted the police as the man walked along carrying her severed head.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken calls the decision 'an affront to terrorism victims everywhere'.

The individuals, most of whom were construction workers, put up social media posts 'which incited violence or stoked communal unrest' in response to the attacks in France.