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France boosts counterterrorism force after deadly Paris attacks France boosts counterterrorism force after deadly Paris attacks
(about 3 hours later)
PARIS — France will add more than 2,600 counterterrorism agents and sharply boost funding for intelligence gathering as part of sweeping measures following the terrorist attacks earlier this month, the French prime minister said Wednesday. PARIS — Two weeks after the worst attacks on French soil in decades, leaders here announced sweeping measures Wednesday to add more than 2,600 counterterrorism agents and sharply boost funding for intelligence gathering.
The steps by France mesh with moves by other European countries, such as neighboring Belgium, to strengthen anti-terrorism forces amid worries of new threats from Islamist factions inspired by fighters returning from Syria and elsewhere. The proposals would bolster the capabilities of authorities who already have some of the most extensive counterterrorism powers in Europe, and came as the continent has struggled with a sense of a sharply growing threat from returnees from Islamist conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Countries across Europe have detained people in recent weeks connected to several alleged attack plots.
The plans outlined by French Prime Minister Manuel Valls do not signal a fundamental change in the country’s counterterrorism strategy. But it does reflect a growing belief in the West and among allies that security forces need to keep pace with evolving terrorist networks that could increasingly include native-born radicals. Other countries, such as neighboring Belgium, have also said in recent days that they would strengthen anti-terrorism forces. There is a rising debate within Europe about whether to build new crime-fighting databases that privacy advocates have long derided as needlessly invasive.
The three gunmen suspected of leading days of terror were born and raised in France. A total of 17 people were killed in the attacks that began at the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo. The gunmen were later killed in simultaneous raids. The plan outlined by French Prime Minister Manuel Valls came the same day that French authorities acknowledged that they had intercepted one of the three killers at a routine traffic stop days before the attacks started, but that they had let him go immediately after. The revelation, first reported by the Canard Enchaine newsweekly, was sure to raise additional questions about intelligence failures ahead of the attacks. Counterterrorism authorities had extensive contact with all three men but had determined that they did not pose an immediate threat to the nation.
France’s plans do not signal a fundamental change in the country’s counterterrorism strategy. But they do reflect a growing belief in the West and among allies that security forces need to keep pace with evolving terrorist networks that could increasingly include native-born radicals.
The three gunmen suspected of leading days of terror were born and raised in France. A total of 17 people were killed in the attacks, that began at the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo. The gunmen were later killed in simultaneous raids.
“The number of dangerous individuals who might actually launch attacks has been relentlessly increasing in France,” Valls said in a nationally televised address. “This change of scale is a formidable challenge for our country and for our partners, particularly our European partners.”“The number of dangerous individuals who might actually launch attacks has been relentlessly increasing in France,” Valls said in a nationally televised address. “This change of scale is a formidable challenge for our country and for our partners, particularly our European partners.”
He said the French counterterrorism registry would be expanded to include about 3,000 people who had been involved in the Islamist fighting in Syria and Iraq or were otherwise deemed at risk of radicalization. They will be required to check in closely with security forces about their movements and activities. He said a French counterterrorism registry would be expanded to include about 3,000 people who had been involved in the Islamist fighting in Syria and Iraq or were otherwise deemed at risk of radicalization. They will be required to check in closely with security forces about their movements and activities.
He said 2,680 new security posts would be created as part of the $493 million effort, which includes providing more tools and technology for monitoring, such as phone tapping and Internet surveillance.He said 2,680 new security posts would be created as part of the $493 million effort, which includes providing more tools and technology for monitoring, such as phone tapping and Internet surveillance.
“This effort is absolutely massive but it is a prerequisite if we are to ensure the safety of the French,” he said. “This effort is absolutely massive, but it is a prerequisite if we are to ensure the safety of the French,” he said.
Lawmakers involved in drafting the law said Wednesday that they are proposing to give French authorities the ability to track the cars of suspects, force foreign social networks to hand over data directly to them and raise the number of warrantless wiretaps currently permitted under French law.
The announcement came as French prosecutors said they had charged four men in relation to the attacks that paralyzed France this month.The announcement came as French prosecutors said they had charged four men in relation to the attacks that paralyzed France this month.
The men are accused of helping Amedy Coulibaly with logistics and weaponry in his attack on a police officer and a later hostage-taking at a Paris kosher supermarket, which left four people dead.The men are accused of helping Amedy Coulibaly with logistics and weaponry in his attack on a police officer and a later hostage-taking at a Paris kosher supermarket, which left four people dead.
It was not clear whether the men — three of whom have long criminal records — were connected to the militant ideology behind the attacks or whether they had simply assisted with logistics, said Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins.It was not clear whether the men — three of whom have long criminal records — were connected to the militant ideology behind the attacks or whether they had simply assisted with logistics, said Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins.
“We will probably have months of investigation, if not years,” he said.“We will probably have months of investigation, if not years,” he said.
He outlined a web of connections between the men and Coulibaly, in whose bathroom was found a suitcase stuffed with jihadist materials and a photocopy of a jihadist flag. The men, ages 22 to 28, were identified only as Willy P., Christophe R., Tonino G. and Mickael A. in line with French law.
Molins acknowledged that police had stopped Coulibaly and his common-law wife, Hayat Boumeddiene, in a routine traffic stop Dec. 30 near the Buttes-Chaumont park in Paris where, more than a decade earlier, a jihadist group that included the other attackers did its exercises before some of them went off to fight in Iraq.
When they checked Coulibaly’s name in their database, the police saw that he had been flagged by intelligence officials as “considered dangerous and taking part in the Islamist movement,” the Canard Enchaine newspaper reported. Police were to obtain “a maximum of information without drawing the attention of the subject.” The police notified counterterrorism authorities, who did nothing, the newspaper reported.
Coulibaly was driving a rental car, and he showed police a driver’s permit dated Dec. 10.
France has repeatedly strengthened its counterterrorism laws in recent years, including measures seeking to block French citizens from joining fighters abroad.France has repeatedly strengthened its counterterrorism laws in recent years, including measures seeking to block French citizens from joining fighters abroad.
Other nations have taken similar steps.Other nations have taken similar steps.
Last week, Belgium’s prime minister, Charles Michel, said an additional $348 million would be put toward strengthening security. He also proposed a range of new policies that include making it easier to strip citizenship from Belgians who fight in Syria and elsewhere. Last week, Belgium’s prime minister, Charles Michel, said an additional $348 million would be earmarked for strengthening security. He also proposed a range of policies that include making it easier to strip citizenship from Belgians who fight in Syria and elsewhere.
The tougher measures followed a series of raids in Belgium and other countries against suspected terrorist cells plotting attacks against police and other targets. Authorities do not believe there were direct links to the Paris attacks.The tougher measures followed a series of raids in Belgium and other countries against suspected terrorist cells plotting attacks against police and other targets. Authorities do not believe there were direct links to the Paris attacks.