The attack on Moscow has pushed France to once again place itself on high alert in the face of the threat of attacks, while in many European countries, security measures are already very high. In France, four months before the Olympic Games, the executive has decided to raise its attack alert level. Last Friday’s attack reminded the French of those carried out in November 2015 by IS commandos against the Bataclan hall, in the middle of a concert, as well as against Parisian café terraces and the Stade de France, leaving 130 dead. total. The police, gendarmerie and French intelligence “will be ready” to ensure the security of the Games, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said on Monday.
But other countries are also taking the terrorist threat seriously, like Italy, Spain and Norway have just announced additional measures in view of the Easter holidays.
German authorities particularly vigilant, before Euro 2024
In Germany, security measures are “already high”, assured Monday a spokesperson for the German Ministry of the Interior, Cornelius Funke. “The risk assessment of the security services in Germany after the Moscow attack has not changed. It was already high before” (the attack), he said, emphasizing that “the Islamist scene ” has been since the October 7 attacks in Israel “even more in the crosshairs of the security services in Germany.”
According to German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, currently “the biggest Islamist threat in Germany comes from the ‘Islamic State – Khorasan Province’ (EIK)”, suspected of having instigated the attack on Moscow. “Our security services have been keeping an eye on this terrorist group for a long time,” she told the German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung published Monday. Last Tuesday, German authorities arrested two Afghans in Thuringia (eastern Germany) suspected of having prepared an attack near the Swedish Parliament, in a context of high jihadist threat in this country after Koran burnings.
The two suspects are accused of being, “since 2023 at the latest”, sympathizers of the ideology of the Islamic State (IS) group, according to the prosecution. Asked about the security measures that will be taken as part of the European Football Championship in Germany (June 14-July 14), Cornelius Funke affirmed that “security (during the Euro) has the highest priority “.
Update of prevention measures in Italy
In Italy, “an intensification of surveillance and control activities” on the part of the police forces was decided in view of the Easter holidays “with special attention to places of “large gatherings and sensitive targets”, no clarified, said a press release from the Interior Ministry on Monday. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi chaired a meeting of the National Committee for Public Security on Monday with the leaders of law enforcement and intelligence services.
“A careful analysis of the terrorist attack in Moscow was carried out (…) to update the anti-terrorism prevention measures already in place,” according to a press release. The participants underlined “the importance of continuing the careful monitoring activity also on the internet (…) to identify possible risk situations” in Italy. The press release adds that this “prevention activity has made it possible, since October 7, 2023, to expel 47 people for security reasons”.
Spain remains vigilant over Easter, as does Norway
For its part, Spain has maintained its attack alert level at 4 on a maximum scale of 5. However, on March 20, the Ministry of the Interior announced a strengthening of security measures throughout the country during the Easter celebrations, which traditionally give rise to massive religious processions and the movement of millions of people into the country, on the occasion of Holy Week.
Norwegian police announced Monday that their officers would be temporarily armed over the Easter weekend (March 27 to April 2), after a new report from the country’s intelligence services raised the possibility of jihadist attacks against churches and other Christian gatherings during this period. On the other hand, the country’s attack alert level has not been raised.