European police stated that a terrorist cell tied to the Islamic State (ISIS) planned to attack the famous Paris cathedral of Notre Dame. The cathedral is currently undergoing extensive repairs after a devastating fire.
French police arrested an Egyptian allegedly tied to ISIS. The suspect was charged with “criminal terrorist association.”
France’s Interior Ministry reported that law enforcement “received very precise instructions; radicalized people are closely monitored. We have strengthened the security of places of worship and educational buildings, but also of transport and public buildings as well as festive, cultural and religious gatherings.”
The country’s General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSI) has doubled its staff in the last nine years, now having more than 5,000 agents. The Interior Ministry also reported that more than 10,000 members of the country’s police and gendarmes were mobilized to protect potential sensitive targets.
Egyptian suspect, 62, to face trial after police foil alleged ISIS terror attack on Notre Dame Cathedral https://t.co/T13eJubjE4 pic.twitter.com/0voJbuFNKU
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) March 30, 2024
France increased its terror alert after the ISIS attack in Moscow last month that killed more than 130 people.
The busting of the terrorist cell came after an increase in violence in Europe following the start of the conflict between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas last October.
There have been a number of attacks linked to Islamist violence or targeting Jews. In one case, a French teacher was murdered and another was injured in an attack by a Muslim student.
There have been multiple stabbing incidents in Paris, including one at the Eiffel Tower.
The increase in violence also comes with significant shifts in French politics. The government of Emmanuel Macron approved a measure that allowed it to deport an Islamist imam to Algeria.
The current situation has also seen a sharp increase in support for National Front party chief Marine LePen, who finished second to Macron in the country’s last presidential election.
The increase in violence has also coincided with a wider series of pro-Palestinian protests in France and across much of Europe. France has a significant minority population of Muslims.
