France on red alert

“Why France is a terrorist target,” headlines La Croix. The daily cites recent remarks made by the Minister of the Interior, who believes that there is a “real” and “imminent” threat of terrorist action in France. Authorities are convinced that the Al-Qaeda Organisation in the Islamic Maghreb is behind the 13 September kidnapping of five French citizens in Arlit, Niger — an event that has contributed to fears of terrorist action that have been “permanent” since the deployment of 4,000 French troops in Afghanistan. The daily explains that other factors have also contributed to the increased risk of an attack. These include: “the 14 September vote to ban the wearing of full Islamic veils in public and recent French government criticism of Iran.”