Report: Paris teacher lied about being stabbed by Islamic State supporter

PARIS, Dec. 14 (UPI) -- A teacher in a suburb of Paris who claimed he was stabbed in the neck on Monday by a masked Islamic State supporter admitted he lied, prosecutors said.

The prosecutor's office is questioning the man as to why he fabricated the incident, BBC News reported. The 45-year-old Jean-Perrin preschool teacher said he stabbed himself in the side and neck. He was later taken to a local hospital.

The man previously said he was attacked at the school in the Parisian suburb of Aubervilliers about 7:10 a.m. local time by an unarmed man who wore a balaclava head covering and used classroom objects to launch the assault.

He said the attacker fled the scene on foot. A manhunt for the suspect was launched. No children were present at the time, and classes were canceled.

France remains on high alert after the Nov. 13 attacks in Paris that left at least 130 people dead. IS -- also known as ISIS, ISIL or Daesh -- claimed responsibility for the attacks.

French Education Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem travelled to the school, calling the attack an "act of great gravity" that was "unacceptable."