Kosher store hero Bathily gets French citizenship

In a ceremony in the French capital on Tuesday, government officials honored the heroism of 24-year-old Malian immigrant Lassana Bathily, the man now credited with saving many lives during a terrorist attack on a kosher supermarket which left four Jewish men dead earlier this month.

Bathily was working at the kosher store on January 9 when Amedy Coulibaly carried out his assault. After helping customers hide in a storage room, he was able to escape and aid police in their operation, which ended with Coulibaly's death.

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve praised Bathily's bravery, noting in particular the significance of the fact that he was a Muslim who fought back against Islamist terrorism.

Saving the customers was an "act of humanity [which] has become a symbol of an Islam of peace and tolerance," Cazeneuve said.

In thanks for his actions, Cazeneuve and French Prime Minister Manuel Valls honored him with a medal and also granted him French citizenship.

"I am so happy to get dual nationality," said Bathily, who moved to France in 2006.

In an interview prior to the ceremony, Bathily downplayed the influence of his religious beliefs on his actions that day.

"Yes, I helped Jews get out. We're brothers," he told BFM-TV last week. "It's not that we're Jewish or Christian or Muslims, we're all in the same boat. You help so you can get through this attack."

kms/cmk (AP, AFP, Reuters)