While the Vigipirate plan had been lowered to level 2, reinforced security, last January, it returned to the maximum level, emergency attack, three days after the attack on Moscow which left at least 137 dead.
“Given the claim of responsibility for the attack by the Islamic State and the threats weighing on our country, we have decided to raise the Vigipirate posture to its highest level: emergency attack,” announced Prime Minister Gabriel Attal on his X account this Sunday March 24 after the Defense Council which was held at the Élysée.
Following the attack in Moscow, a Defense and National Security Council was convened this evening at the Elysée by the President of the Republic.
Given the Islamic State's claim of responsibility for the attack and the threats weighing on our country, we have decided to…
— Gabriel Attal (@GabrielAttal) March 24, 2024
“The claim for the Moscow attack comes from the Islamic State in Khorasan.
However, this organization threatens France and has been involved in several recent foiled attack plans in several European countries, including Germany and France,” Matignon explained to AFP.
For his part, Emmanuel Macron, traveling in Guyana, confirmed that the branch of Daesh which claimed responsibility for the Moscow attack is also known in France.
VIDEO.
Attack in Moscow: the terrorist group had carried out “several attempts” at attacks in France, assures Macron
The attack emergency level makes it possible to mobilize exceptional security resources: gendarmes, police, soldiers, during crisis management.
Around 300 important and restrictive measures can thus be introduced in order to prevent any risk of attack, such as searches at building entrances, or reinforced controls at borders and in transport.
Certain places of worship may also be subject to increased surveillance.
Twenty-four attacks carried out since 2015
This emergency level attack saw the light of day in 2016 under the presidency of François Hollande.
First activated in December 2018 after the attack on the Strasbourg Christmas market, it was relaunched in 2020 then a third time last October, following the murder of Dominique Bernard, a professor in Arras.
This Monday, March 25, the Prime Minister also went to Saint-Lazare station, in Paris, in order to illustrate the recovery of the Vigipirate plan and to salute the commitment of the security forces and the soldiers of the Operation Sentinel.
Also read: After the Moscow attack, what are the risks in terms of terrorism?
“The Olympics are a target”
As a reminder, since January 2015, 24 terrorist attacks have been carried out, including 10 since 2020, the Ministry of the Interior informed our colleagues at BFMTV.
74 attacks have also been foiled at the same time, including 14 since 2020, it is specified in Beauvau.