Obama praises US service members' action on French train: White House

French police standing inside the main train station in Arras, northern France, on Aug 21, 2015. PHOTO: AFP

WASHINGTON (REUTERS) - President Barack Obama expressed his gratitude on Friday for the "courage and quick thinking" of the passengers on a high-speed train in France, including United States (US) service members, who overpowered a gunman.

French authorities said the machine gun-toting attacker wounded three people on the Paris-bound train before being overpowered by passengers who included an American soldier.

"The President expressed his profound gratitude for the courage and quick thinking of several passengers, including US service members, who selflessly subdued the attacker," the White House said in a statement.

"It is clear that their heroic actions may have prevented a far worse tragedy."

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