‘Maximum Vigilance’: France Orders Stricter Security at Christmas Markets to ‘Thwart Terrorist Threat’
France’s interior minister instructed regional governments to boost security at Christmas markets against terrorist attacks, permitting the deployment of soldiers for a “visible deterrent” if necessary.
The French government has ordered “maximum vigilance” at seasonal Christmas markets in the country, a precaution after years of the events being targeted by predominantly Mohammedan fundamentalists. While markets in Germany have been the main focus for terror attacks to date, France has seen more than its share of deadly mass-casualty terror attacks, including the 2016 Nice Attack when a cargo truck was driven through crowds on Bastile Day, a modus operandi shared with previous Christmas market attacks.
Christmas on Lockdown: Beefed Up Security Across Europe In Wake of Berlin https://t.co/S9WlncA6Jf pic.twitter.com/ZdeCU9yE7M
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) December 20, 2016
France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez issued a directive to regional Prefects ordering them to “strengthen security measures” because of “very high level of terrorist threat”, reports FranceInfo. He called for the “full mobilization of intelligence services in the detection, prevention, and, if necessary, thwarting of terrorist threats” which would include “a visible and deterrent presence of [police] and, where necessary, soldiers”.
Prefects were told to consider the security picture for all events “likely to bring together a large number of participants”. (Read more from “‘Maximum Vigilance’: France Orders Stricter Security at Christmas Markets to ‘Thwart Terrorist Threat’” HERE)
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