France’s interior minister on Monday promised police and intelligence services will be “ready” amid renewed concerns over security following the attack on a Moscow concert hall that killed more than 130 people.
The government raised its terror threat level to the maximum on Sunday considering France has been a frequent target of the Islamic State (ISIS), which claimed responsibility for the attack on Friday in a Moscow suburb.
President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that ISIS-Khorasan, the branch of the militant group behind the attack, had also sought to attack France.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said the Paris Olympics, which start on July 26, were a clear future target.
“We have a very effective intelligence system,” Darmanin said. “We stop plots developing almost every month.”
He added the heads of intelligence services will hold a meeting on Thursday “to discuss all the conclusions of the attack on Moscow.”
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said 4,000 extra soldiers will be deployed nationwide in the coming days. He said two plots had already been thwarted this year.
The Bataclan music venue in Paris was the scene of an attack in November 2015 when 90 people were killed. The attack was also claimed by ISIS.
The opening ceremony of the Olympics will take place outside, where athletes will sail down the river Seine. Some security officials resisted the plan because of the challenging situation for police.
The ceremony could be downgraded, meaning athletes will not board boats if evidence of credible threats arises.
