At the end of the Council of Ministers, government spokesperson Prisca Thevenot announced that a terrorist “attempt to carry out the act” was foiled during the Easter weekend. On March 24, France increased its vigilance by switching to Vigipirate emergency attack.
An “attempt to take action” was foiled during the Easter weekend thanks to the reinforced “mobilization” of law enforcement in France following the jihadist attack in Moscow, said Wednesday the government spokesperson.
As Paris prepares to host the Olympic Games this summer, the Vigipirate system was raised on March 24 to its maximum level, “emergency attack”, two days after the attack which left at least 144 dead in a hall concert near the Russian capital, claimed by the Islamic State group.
“45 attacks foiled since 2017”
“The Minister of the Interior announced that the 4,530 establishments of worship, places of worship, would have particular vigilance with 13,500 law enforcement officers deployed throughout the territory” to protect religious services during the Easter holidays, said declared Prisca Thévenot while reporting to the Council of Ministers.
“Thanks to this mobilization, we were able to put an end to an attempt to take action. Because yes, there are attempts to take action and thanks to the mobilization of these men and women on a daily basis , we can avoid tragedies. This action was avoided last weekend,” she added.
Questioned by journalists, the spokesperson was not able to provide details on this attempt to “take action”. The Interior Ministry did not comment. Prisca Thévenot recalled that “45 attacks” had been “foiled since 2017”, according to the government’s report. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal had already affirmed last week, before the Easter weekend, that two attack plans had been “foiled” in France since the start of the year.