Highlights: France: the Vigipirate plan raised to its highest alert level after the Moscow attack. A decision taken after the attack on Friday by the Islamic State jihadist group in a concert hall in the suburbs of Moscow. The attack that occurred Friday evening at Crocus City Hall, near Moscow, left at least 137 dead and 182 injured according to the latest report. Investigators continue to search the rubble of the building housing the concert hall, ravaged by a gigantic fire started by the attackers. It is the deadliest attack in Russia in twenty years and the bloodiest to have been claimed by the IS group in Europe.

The French Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal, announced on Sunday March 24 to “raise” the Vigipirate plan in the country to its highest level, “emergency attack”. A decision taken after the attack…

France: the Vigipirate plan raised to its highest alert level after the Moscow attack

A police officer deployed in front of the Louvre museum, in Paris, as part of the Vigipirate plan, December 30, 2016. AP - Christophe Ena

By: RFI with agencies

“

Given the claim of responsibility for the attack by the Islamic State and the threats weighing on our country, we have decided to raise the Vigipirate posture to its highest level: emergency attack

,” indicated the head of government on the social network X (formerly Twitter) following a defense council. Council which took place at the Élysée, which was led by President

Emmanuel Macron

and whose subject was “

the attack on Moscow
and its consequences

”.

“

The claim for the Moscow attack comes from the Islamic State in Khorasan. However, this organization threatens France and has been involved in several recent foiled attack plans in several European countries, including Germany and France

,” said Matignon, who added that

Gabriel Attal

“

asked the Secretary General of defense and national security, placed under his authority, to convene a meeting first thing tomorrow (Monday) bringing together all the security services impacted by the increase in the Vigipirate level

In January, the Vigipirate plan was downgraded to level 2 “reinforced security – attack risk”.

Following the attack in Moscow, a Defense and National Security Council was convened this evening at the Elysée by the President of the Republic.

Given the Islamic State's claim of responsibility for the attack and the threats weighing on our country, we have decided to…

— Gabriel Attal (@GabrielAttal) March 24, 2024

Read alsoAttack in Russia: a video strengthens the trail of the Islamic State organization

The attack that occurred Friday evening at Crocus City Hall, near Moscow, left at least 137 dead and 182 injured according to the latest report. Investigators continue to search the rubble of the building housing the concert hall, ravaged by a gigantic fire started by the attackers. It is the deadliest attack in Russia in twenty years and the bloodiest to have been claimed by the IS group in Europe.

This Sunday March 24 was a day of national mourning in Russia. On Saturday, Russian President

Vladimir Putin

, in his televised address, did not mention the Islamic organization but put forward the Ukrainian trail, specifying that the alleged attackers had been arrested “

while they were heading towards Ukraine

”.

Volodymyr Zelensky

, the Ukrainian president, rejected these accusations and pointed to Vladimir Putin's desire to “

shift the blame

” onto his country.

Read alsoMoscow attack: Putin evokes Ukraine, which refutes any role in the killing claimed by ISIS

France: the Vigipirate plan raised to its highest alert level after the Moscow attack

France: the Vigipirate plan raised to its highest alert level after the Moscow attack

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