France arrested over 100 terror suspects in past year

France is still on high alert following November's terror attacks. Police have arrested 101 terror suspects in the past year, as Paris readies to host the European football championships.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab & agencies

13 May, 2016

France has stepped up its security measure since the November attacks in Paris [Getty]

More than a hundred terror suspects have been arrested by French authorities in the past year, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said on Friday.

Among those arrested was Belgian-born Salah Abdeslam, the only surviving suspect in terror attacks on the Bataclan theatre and other public places, which rocked Paris last November.

"We are doing everything we can to protect the people of France, but the threat level is still very high," Cazeneuve told the Ebra media group.

French authorities say they have foiled 15 planned attacks since 2013, according to the official.

"At the European level, thanks in great measure to France's impetus, progress is being made," he said.

"Aside from the closely coordinated police and judicial French-Belgian efforts that helped us carry out the recent arrests, the European Parliament has finally adopted the PNR (Passenger Name Record) system which will enhance our detection capabilities of jihadists' movements," he said.

France has been at an official state of emergency since the attacks took place, and has also on high-alert following the Charlie Hebdo attacks.

"Exceptional" measures are expected to boost security at major events in the coming months "in order to ensure the highest possible security".

This includes the highly anticipated Euro 2016 championships, which should see tens thousands of football flans flock to the country.

"That's one of the reasons why we extended the state of emergency until 26 July, that is after the end of the football Euro 2016 championship and the (cycling) Tour de France."

Extensive border checks have also been carried out in the past six months, with 17,500 people refused entry to France.

The comments follow an announcement by Prime Minister Manuel Valls on Monday who said plans to create regional de-radicalisation centres were in motion to tackle the 9,300 people believed to have been radicalised in France.

The anti-terror plan will cost an additional 40 million euros ($45.5 million) by 2018, and includes other efforts to counter-radicalism in France.

One-hundred and thirty people were killed in November when gunmen and suicide bombers attacked a concert hall, stadium, restaurants and bars in the French capital.