The recent jihadist strike in Burkina Faso claimed the lives of approximately 11 people and left about 50 people missing, the authorities reported.

After Lt. Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba overthrew Burkina Faso's president in a coup in January, he vowed to control Islamists and violence. Even though Damiba fired his defense minister earlier this month and took charge himself, insurgents linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State organisation have fueled the turmoil.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jihadist-ambush-on-gold-mine-vehicle-convoy-kills-seven-in-burkina-faso-510503">Also read |&nbsp;Jihadist ambush on gold mine vehicle convoy kills seven in Burkina Faso</a>

With the government's spokesperson declaring the toll to be 11 dead, an official in conversation with AFP said that the death toll may be as high as 60.&nbsp;

The convoy was attacked on Monday. These convoys, which are accompanied by the army, and transport necessities to communities, were blocked off by jihadis, who have detonated bridges over major roadways. Almost the whole convoy was burned, AFP reported.

Security sources reported that a Sunday attack on a different army-escort response convoy in Saehl left four injured. Another violent instance happened earlier this month, which claimed the lives of at least 35 people.&nbsp; Videos of the same were circulated.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/seven-years-on-burkina-faso-insurgency-claims-9-lives-in-the-latest-jihadist-attack-504070">Also read |&nbsp;Seven years on Burkina Faso insurgency claims 9 lives in the latest jihadist attack</a>

Burkina Faso currently has at least 40 per cent of its regions outside of government control.&nbsp;

Since the insurgency began in Burkina Faso in 2015, thousands of people have died and nearly a million have been forced to flee their homes. An insurgency is being fought across most of the regions.&nbsp;

In recent years, the violence has started to spread more across the coastal nations of Togo and the Ivory Coast.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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The recent jihadist strike in Burkina Faso claimed the lives of approximately 11 people and left about 50 people missing, the authorities reported. After Lt. Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba overthrew Burkina Faso's president in a coup in January, he vowed to control Islamists and violence.

The recent jihadist strike in Burkina Faso claimed the lives of approximately 11 people and left about 50 people missing, the authorities reported. After Lt. Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba overthrew Burkina Faso's president in a coup in January, he vowed to control Islamists and violence. Even though Damiba fired his defense minister earlier this month and took charge himself, insurgents linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State organisation have fueled the turmoil. Also read | Jihadist ambush on gold mine vehicle convoy kills seven in Burkina Faso With the government's spokesperson declaring the toll to be 11 dead, an official in conversation with AFP said that the death toll may be as high as 60. The convoy was attacked on Monday. These convoys, which are accompanied by the army, and transport necessities to communities, were blocked off by jihadis, who have detonated bridges over major roadways. Almost the whole convoy was burned, AFP reported. Security sources reported that a Sunday attack on a different army-escort response convoy in Saehl left four injured. Another violent instance happened earlier this month, which claimed the lives of at least 35 people. Videos of the same were circulated. Also read | Seven years on Burkina Faso insurgency claims 9 lives in the latest jihadist attack Burkina Faso currently has at least 40 per cent of its regions outside of government control. Since the insurgency began in Burkina Faso in 2015, thousands of people have died and nearly a million have been forced to flee their homes. An insurgency is being fought across most of the regions. In recent years, the violence has started to spread more across the coastal nations of Togo and the Ivory Coast. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Burkina Faso: 11 killed, 50 missing after jihadist attack 

Two demonstrators and a policeman were killed Tuesday in violent clashes between Islamists and police in Pakistan, hours after authorities arrested the head of an Islamist party in the eastern city of Lahore, a senior official and local media reported.

The policeman was killed in overnight clashes with the supporters of Saad Rizvi, the head of the Tehreek-e-Labiak Pakistan who was arrested on Monday, a senior police officer Ghulam Mohammad Dogar said. Ten policemen were also wounded in these clashes in the town of Shahadra near Lahore.

Two Islamists were reportedly killed in the eastern Punjab province. The violence began Monday after police arrested Rizvi for threatening protests if the government did not expel France's ambassador over depictions of Islam's Prophet Muhammad.

According to Dogar, the arrest was aimed at maintaining law and order. But Rizvi's detention quickly sparked violent protests by Islamists in cities around the country. The protesters blocked highways and roads in several cities.

The deadly clashes come two days after Rizvi in a statement asked the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan to honor what he said was a commitment it made in February to his party to expel the French envoy before April 20 over the publication in France of depictions of Islam's Prophet.

However, the government has said it only committed to discussing the matter in Parliament.

The reaction from Rizvi's supporters against his arrest was so swift that police in the eastern city of Lahore could not clear a main highway and roads. Thousands of people were stranded in their vehicles.

Monday's clashes initially erupted in Lahore, the capital of eastern Punjab province.

Rizvi's supporters later clashed with police in the southern port city of Karachi and they continued rallying on the outskirts of the capital Islamabad, disrupting traffic and inconveniencing residents.

Rizvi emerged as the leader of the Tehreek-e-Labiak Pakistan party in November after the sudden death of his father, Khadim Hussein Rizvi. His supporters have previously held violent rallies in Pakistan to pressure the government not to repeal the country's controversial blasphemy laws.

Rizvi's party wants the government to boycott French products and expel the French ambassador under an agreement signed by the government with Rizvi's party in February.

Tehreek-e-Labiak and other Islamist parties have denounced French President Emmanuel Macron since October last year, saying he tried to defend caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad as freedom of expression.

Macron's comments came after a young Muslim beheaded a French school teacher who had shown caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad in class.

The images had been republished by the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo to mark the opening of the trial over the deadly 2015 attack against the publication for the original caricatures. That enraged many Muslims in Pakistan and elsewhere who believed those depictions were blasphemous.

Rizvi's party also has a history of staging protests and sit-ins to pressure the government to accept its demands. In November 2017, Rizvi's followers staged a 21-day protest and sit-in after a reference to the sanctity of the Prophet Muhammad was removed from the text of a government form.

Two demonstrators and a policeman were killed Tuesday in violent clashes between Islamists and police in Pakistan, hours after authorities arrested the head of an Islamist party in the eastern city of Lahore, a senior official and local media reported.

Two demonstrators and a policeman were killed Tuesday in violent clashes between Islamists and police in Pakistan, hours after authorities arrested the head of an Islamist party in the eastern city of Lahore, a senior official and local media reported. The policeman was killed in overnight clashes with the supporters of Saad Rizvi, the head of the Tehreek-e-Labiak Pakistan who was arrested on Monday, a senior police officer Ghulam Mohammad Dogar said. Ten policemen were also wounded in these clashes in the town of Shahadra near Lahore. Two Islamists were reportedly killed in the eastern Punjab province. The violence began Monday after police arrested Rizvi for threatening protests if the government did not expel France's ambassador over depictions of Islam's Prophet Muhammad. According to Dogar, the arrest was aimed at maintaining law and order. But Rizvi's detention quickly sparked violent protests by Islamists in cities around the country. The protesters blocked highways and roads in several cities. The deadly clashes come two days after Rizvi in a statement asked the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan to honor what he said was a commitment it made in February to his party to expel the French envoy before April 20 over the publication in France of depictions of Islam's Prophet. However, the government has said it only committed to discussing the matter in Parliament. The reaction from Rizvi's supporters against his arrest was so swift that police in the eastern city of Lahore could not clear a main highway and roads. Thousands of people were stranded in their vehicles. Monday's clashes initially erupted in Lahore, the capital of eastern Punjab province. Rizvi's supporters later clashed with police in the southern port city of Karachi and they continued rallying on the outskirts of the capital Islamabad, disrupting traffic and inconveniencing residents. Rizvi emerged as the leader of the Tehreek-e-Labiak Pakistan party in November after the sudden death of his father, Khadim Hussein Rizvi. His supporters have previously held violent rallies in Pakistan to pressure the government not to repeal the country's controversial blasphemy laws. Rizvi's party wants the government to boycott French products and expel the French ambassador under an agreement signed by the government with Rizvi's party in February. Tehreek-e-Labiak and other Islamist parties have denounced French President Emmanuel Macron since October last year, saying he tried to defend caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad as freedom of expression. Macron's comments came after a young Muslim beheaded a French school teacher who had shown caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad in class. The images had been republished by the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo to mark the opening of the trial over the deadly 2015 attack against the publication for the original caricatures. That enraged many Muslims in Pakistan and elsewhere who believed those depictions were blasphemous. Rizvi's party also has a history of staging protests and sit-ins to pressure the government to accept its demands. In November 2017, Rizvi's followers staged a 21-day protest and sit-in after a reference to the sanctity of the Prophet Muhammad was removed from the text of a government form.

3 killed in Pakistan in clashes between police, Islamists

Danish and German officials said on Friday that they carried out a series of arrests in two nations that foiled a possible Islamist attack.&nbsp;

Components and chemicals required to make explosives and firearms were confiscated in raids, Danish intelligence agency PET's operations chief Flemming Dryer was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.

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"We found the ingredients needed to make a bomb," he said.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

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Dryer added, however, that these parts were not assembled, but hinted of an attack.&nbsp;

"We believe there was no immediate threat, nothing was assembled or mixed. But we're not naive, and we're not excluding anything," the PET official said.&nbsp;

A hunting rifle, an Islamic State flag, and ignition devices were among the items seized by the investigators.&nbsp;

The plot appeared to aim towards Denmark or Germany, officials briefing reporters at PET's headquarters near Copenhagen said.&nbsp;

Three Syrian brothers, two in Denmark and in one in Germany's Hesse were among those arrested, according to the German officials.&nbsp;

"Our security services once again prevented an Islamist terror attack," Germany's Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said.&nbsp;

He added that the three people arrested were "probably preparing an attack in Europe."

PET on Thursday said 13 people have been arrested at the weekend in a suburb outside Copenhagen, and one suspect was arrested in Germany. &nbsp;

Danish and German officials said on Friday that they carried out a series of arrests in two nations that foiled a possible Islamist attack. Components and chemicals required to make explosives and firearms were confiscated in raids, Danish intelligence agency PET's operations chief Flemming Dryer was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.

Danish and German officials said on Friday that they carried out a series of arrests in two nations that foiled a possible Islamist attack. Components and chemicals required to make explosives and firearms were confiscated in raids, Danish intelligence agency PET's operations chief Flemming Dryer was quoted as saying by news agency AFP. Also read | Germany warns neighbours of border closures on virus fears "We found the ingredients needed to make a bomb," he said. Watch | Dryer added, however, that these parts were not assembled, but hinted of an attack. "We believe there was no immediate threat, nothing was assembled or mixed. But we're not naive, and we're not excluding anything," the PET official said. A hunting rifle, an Islamic State flag, and ignition devices were among the items seized by the investigators. The plot appeared to aim towards Denmark or Germany, officials briefing reporters at PET's headquarters near Copenhagen said. Three Syrian brothers, two in Denmark and in one in Germany's Hesse were among those arrested, according to the German officials. "Our security services once again prevented an Islamist terror attack," Germany's Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said. He added that the three people arrested were "probably preparing an attack in Europe." PET on Thursday said 13 people have been arrested at the weekend in a suburb outside Copenhagen, and one suspect was arrested in Germany.

Germany, Danish authorities say possible Islamist attack thwarted after series of arrests

Attacks across central Vienna, in which gunmen killed three people and injured several others, were carried out by at least one "Islamist terrorist," Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said on Tuesday.

In an early morning televised news conference, Nehammer repeated calls for the public to stay at home, saying one attacker, who was wearing an explosives belt that turned out to be fake, was an Islamic State sympathiser.

That assailant was shot dead by police. Nehammer said officials believe there was more than one attacker, adding that 1,000 security personnel had been deployed for the manhunt while neighbouring countries had offered assistance.

Also watch|<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-cctv-witness-footage-show-terrorist-suspect-open-fire-in-vienna-340048"> CCTV, witness footage show terrorist suspect open fire in Vienna</a>

"We experienced an attack yesterday evening by at least one Islamist terrorist, a situation that we have not had to live through in Austria for decades," Nehammer said.

"Austria for more than 75 years has been a strong democracy, a mature democracy, a country whose identity is marked by values and basic rights, with freedom of expression, rule of law, but also tolerance in human coexistence," he said. "Yesterday`s attack is an attack on just these values."

Gunmen attacked six locations in central Vienna on Monday evening, starting outside the main synagogue. Witnesses described the men firing into crowds in bars with automatic rifles, as many people took advantage of the last evening before a nationwide curfew was introduced because of COVID-19.

Police confirmed on Tuesday that three civilians were killed in the attacks - two men and one woman - with 15 others wounded, including a police officer.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vienna-shooting-at-least-3-dead-15-injured-after-terrorists-open-fire-339973" hreflang="en">Vienna shooting: At least 3 dead, 15 injured after terrorists open fire</a>

Police sealed off much of the historic centre of the city overnight, urging the public to shelter in place. Many sought refuge in bars and hotels, while public transport throughout the old town was shut down and police scoured the city.

Nehammer said the home of the known assailant had been searched and video material seized. Vienna`s police chief declined to provide further details on the attacker`s identity, citing potential endangerment of the investigation.

Oskar Deutsch, the head of Vienna`s Jewish community, which has offices adjoining the synagogue on a narrow cobbled street dotted with bars, said on Twitter that it was not clear whether the temple or offices were targeted but that they were closed at the time.

Videos circulated on social media of a gunman running down a cobblestone street shooting and shouting. One showed a man gunning down a person outside what appeared to be a bar on the street housing the synagogue.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vienna-shooting-world-leaders-condemn-repulsive-terror-attack-339976" hreflang="en">Vienna shooting: World leaders condemn 'repulsive terror attack'</a>

Austria`s capital had been spared the kind of deadly militant attacks that have struck Paris, London, Berlin and Brussels, among others, in recent years. 
Condolences poured in from around the world, with top officials from the European Union, France, Norway, Greece and the United States expressing their shock at the attacks.

U.S. President Donald Trump said in a tweet that "our prayers are with the people of Vienna after yet another vile act of terrorism in Europe."

"These evil attacks against innocent people must stop. The U.S. stands with Austria, France, and all of Europe in the fight against terrorists, including radical Islamic terrorists."

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden condemned what he called a "horrific terrorist attack," adding, "We must all stand united against hate and violence."

Attacks across central Vienna, in which gunmen killed three people and injured several others, were carried out by at least one "Islamist terrorist," Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said on Tuesday.

Attacks across central Vienna, in which gunmen killed three people and injured several others, were carried out by at least one "Islamist terrorist," Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said on Tuesday. In an early morning televised news conference, Nehammer repeated calls for the public to stay at home, saying one attacker, who was wearing an explosives belt that turned out to be fake, was an Islamic State sympathiser. That assailant was shot dead by police. Nehammer said officials believe there was more than one attacker, adding that 1,000 security personnel had been deployed for the manhunt while neighbouring countries had offered assistance. Also watch| CCTV, witness footage show terrorist suspect open fire in Vienna "We experienced an attack yesterday evening by at least one Islamist terrorist, a situation that we have not had to live through in Austria for decades," Nehammer said. "Austria for more than 75 years has been a strong democracy, a mature democracy, a country whose identity is marked by values and basic rights, with freedom of expression, rule of law, but also tolerance in human coexistence," he said. "Yesterday`s attack is an attack on just these values." Gunmen attacked six locations in central Vienna on Monday evening, starting outside the main synagogue. Witnesses described the men firing into crowds in bars with automatic rifles, as many people took advantage of the last evening before a nationwide curfew was introduced because of COVID-19. Police confirmed on Tuesday that three civilians were killed in the attacks - two men and one woman - with 15 others wounded, including a police officer. Also read| Vienna shooting: At least 3 dead, 15 injured after terrorists open fire Police sealed off much of the historic centre of the city overnight, urging the public to shelter in place. Many sought refuge in bars and hotels, while public transport throughout the old town was shut down and police scoured the city. Nehammer said the home of the known assailant had been searched and video material seized. Vienna`s police chief declined to provide further details on the attacker`s identity, citing potential endangerment of the investigation. Oskar Deutsch, the head of Vienna`s Jewish community, which has offices adjoining the synagogue on a narrow cobbled street dotted with bars, said on Twitter that it was not clear whether the temple or offices were targeted but that they were closed at the time. Videos circulated on social media of a gunman running down a cobblestone street shooting and shouting. One showed a man gunning down a person outside what appeared to be a bar on the street housing the synagogue. Also read| Vienna shooting: World leaders condemn 'repulsive terror attack' Austria`s capital had been spared the kind of deadly militant attacks that have struck Paris, London, Berlin and Brussels, among others, in recent years. Condolences poured in from around the world, with top officials from the European Union, France, Norway, Greece and the United States expressing their shock at the attacks. U.S. President Donald Trump said in a tweet that "our prayers are with the people of Vienna after yet another vile act of terrorism in Europe." "These evil attacks against innocent people must stop. The U.S. stands with Austria, France, and all of Europe in the fight against terrorists, including radical Islamic terrorists." Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden condemned what he called a "horrific terrorist attack," adding, "We must all stand united against hate and violence."

Austrian minister says at least one 'Islamist terrorist' behind Vienna attack

A few hours after a group of terrorists open fired in the streets of Vienna at six different locations, the&nbsp;German Chancellor Angela Merkel offered condolences to the victims and the ailing country.

While condemning the attack, Merkel offered support to the fellow European country and said "Islamist terror is our common enemy" to show solidarity with the Vienna.

"The fight against these assassins and those who instigate them is our common struggle," Merkel's spokesperson tweeted, adding: "solidarity" with Austria.

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Minutes after Merkel issued the statement, Germany started tightening its security along the borders of Austria. The local authorities are now stopping every vehicle and passerby through the border that the country shares with Austria.

The security has been beefed up after the Vienna police announced that at least one shooter is still at large. the two countries have come together and launched a massive manhunt. Tightened controls at the border is now a "tactical priority" for the federal police force, a spokesman for German federal police said.

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This statement came after a group of gunmen started shooting at the people in the streets of Vienna around 8pm on six different locations.&nbsp;"I am glad that our police were able to neutralize one of the attackers,'' Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said. "We will not never allow ourselves to be intimidated by terrorism and will fight these attacks with all means.''

Meanwhile, the French president <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/al-qaida-threatens-emmanuel-macron-as-france-kills-50-jihadists-in-mali-340052">Emmanuel Macron</a> has received a threat from Al-Qaeda. "Killing anyone who insults the prophet is the right of each and every Muslim," the terror group, the terror group that is known by its French acronym AQMI, said in a statement.

A few hours after a group of terrorists open fired in the streets of Vienna at six different locations, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel offered condolences to the victims and the ailing country.

A few hours after a group of terrorists open fired in the streets of Vienna at six different locations, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel offered condolences to the victims and the ailing country. While condemning the attack, Merkel offered support to the fellow European country and said "Islamist terror is our common enemy" to show solidarity with the Vienna. "The fight against these assassins and those who instigate them is our common struggle," Merkel's spokesperson tweeted, adding: "solidarity" with Austria. Also watch| CCTV, witness footage show terrorist suspect open fire in Vienna Minutes after Merkel issued the statement, Germany started tightening its security along the borders of Austria. The local authorities are now stopping every vehicle and passerby through the border that the country shares with Austria. The security has been beefed up after the Vienna police announced that at least one shooter is still at large. the two countries have come together and launched a massive manhunt. Tightened controls at the border is now a "tactical priority" for the federal police force, a spokesman for German federal police said. Also read| Vienna shooting: At least 3 dead, 15 injured after terrorists open fire This statement came after a group of gunmen started shooting at the people in the streets of Vienna around 8pm on six different locations. "I am glad that our police were able to neutralize one of the attackers,'' Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said. "We will not never allow ourselves to be intimidated by terrorism and will fight these attacks with all means.'' Meanwhile, the French president Emmanuel Macron has received a threat from Al-Qaeda. "Killing anyone who insults the prophet is the right of each and every Muslim," the terror group, the terror group that is known by its French acronym AQMI, said in a statement.

'Islamist terror is our common enemy': Germany's Angela Merkel offers condolence to Vienna

Police in Germany has arrested a 30-year-old man. He has been accused of causing a series of motorway incidents in Berlin, in what prosecutors say is a "suspected Islamist act." Three people are seriously injured in Tuesday evening's crashes, which appeared to be targeted mainly at motorcyclists on the A100 in the German capital.

Series of motorway crashes in Berlin being investigated as 'Islamist Attack'

A man has caused a series of motorway accidents in Berlin, injuring six people including three seriously in what German prosecutors Wednesday described as an Islamist act.

The man appears to have had an "Islamist motivation according to our current knowledge", prosecutors told AFP.

Local media reported that the man was a 30-year-old Iraqi who had shouted "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greatest) when getting out of his car after hitting several vehicles around 6:30 pm on Tuesday.

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Berlin police said the man caused three accidents on the Autobahn 100 in the city's Tempelhof-Schoeneberg district before claiming that a box in his car contained a "dangerous object".

However, when police opened the box using high-pressure water jets it was found to contain nothing but tools.

The driver was arrested and the motorway closed for several hours, causing significant travel disruption.

"Nobody come any closer or you will all die," the Bild daily quoted the suspect as saying after he stopped his car and placed the metal box on the roof of his vehicle, a black Opel Astra.

German media reported that a motorcycle driver was among those injured.

People with ties to Islamic extremism have committed several violent attacks in Germany in recent years.&nbsp;

The worst was a ramming attack at a Berlin Christmas market in December 2016 that killed 12. The Tunisian attacker, a failed asylum seeker, was a supporter of the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group.

More recently, an Islamist and his wife were convicted of planning a biological bomb attack in Germany in 2018 with the deadly poison ricin.

The pair had ordered castor seeds, explosives and metal ball bearings on the internet to build the toxic bomb.

The man was in March sentenced to 10 years in prison while his wife received an eight-year sentence in June.

Since 2013, the number of Islamists considered dangerous in Germany has increased fivefold to 680, according to security services.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has often been accused, particularly by the far right, of having contributed to the Islamist threat by opening the country's borders to hundreds of thousands of migrants in 2015.&nbsp;

A man has caused a series of motorway accidents in Berlin, injuring six people including three seriously in what German prosecutors Wednesday described as an Islamist act.

A man has caused a series of motorway accidents in Berlin, injuring six people including three seriously in what German prosecutors Wednesday described as an Islamist act. The man appears to have had an "Islamist motivation according to our current knowledge", prosecutors told AFP. Local media reported that the man was a 30-year-old Iraqi who had shouted "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greatest) when getting out of his car after hitting several vehicles around 6:30 pm on Tuesday. Also read: Islamist militant Najmuddin Faraj Ahmad to be extradited from Norway to Italy Berlin police said the man caused three accidents on the Autobahn 100 in the city's Tempelhof-Schoeneberg district before claiming that a box in his car contained a "dangerous object". However, when police opened the box using high-pressure water jets it was found to contain nothing but tools. The driver was arrested and the motorway closed for several hours, causing significant travel disruption. "Nobody come any closer or you will all die," the Bild daily quoted the suspect as saying after he stopped his car and placed the metal box on the roof of his vehicle, a black Opel Astra. German media reported that a motorcycle driver was among those injured. People with ties to Islamic extremism have committed several violent attacks in Germany in recent years. The worst was a ramming attack at a Berlin Christmas market in December 2016 that killed 12. The Tunisian attacker, a failed asylum seeker, was a supporter of the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group. More recently, an Islamist and his wife were convicted of planning a biological bomb attack in Germany in 2018 with the deadly poison ricin. The pair had ordered castor seeds, explosives and metal ball bearings on the internet to build the toxic bomb. The man was in March sentenced to 10 years in prison while his wife received an eight-year sentence in June. Since 2013, the number of Islamists considered dangerous in Germany has increased fivefold to 680, according to security services. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has often been accused, particularly by the far right, of having contributed to the Islamist threat by opening the country's borders to hundreds of thousands of migrants in 2015.

Man causes motorway accidents in Berlin in 'Islamist' act: Prosecutors

Authorities lifted a curfew in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-serial-blasts-13-under-arrest-ninth-bomb-defused-near-colombo-airport-212476">Sri Lanka</a> on Monday, a day after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/25-foreigners-among-207-killed-in-sri-lanka-mayhem-report-212463">290 people were killed</a> and about 500 wounded by a string of bombings that tore through churches and luxury hotels on Easter Sunday.

There was still no claim of responsibility for the attacks on two churches and four hotels in and around Colombo, the capital of predominantly Buddhist Sri Lanka, and a third church on the country`s northeast coast.

A government source said President Maithripala Sirisena, who was abroad when the attacks happened, had called a meeting of the National Security Council early on Monday. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe would attend the meeting, the source said.

There were fears the attacks could spark a renewal of communal violence, with police reporting late on Sunday there had been a petrol bomb attack on a mosque in the northwest and arson attacks on two shops owned by Muslims in the west.

Sri Lanka had been at war for decades with Tamil separatists but extremist violence had been on the wane since the civil war ended 10 years ago. 
The South Asian nation of about 22 million people has Christian, Muslim and Hindu populations of between about eight and 12 per cent.

The island-wide curfew imposed by the government was lifted early on Monday, although there was uncharacteristically thin traffic in the normally bustling capital.

Soldiers armed with automatic weapons stood guard outside major hotels and the World Trade Centre in the business district, where the four hotels were targeted on Easter Sunday, according to a Reuters witness.

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Scores of people who were stranded overnight at the main airport began making their way home as restrictions were lifted.

The government also blocked access to social media and messaging sites, including Facebook and WhatsApp, making information hard to come by.

Wickremesinghe acknowledged on Sunday that the government had some prior information about possible attacks on churches involving a little-known Islamist group, but said ministers had not been told.

Sri Lankans accounted for the bulk of the 290 people killed and 500 wounded, although government officials said 32 foreigners were also killed. These included British, US, Turkish, Indian, Chinese, Danish, Dutch and Portuguese nations.

A British mother and son eating breakfast at the luxury Shangri-La hotel were among those killed, Britain`s The Telegraph newspaper reported. 
One Australian survivor, identified only as Sam, told Australia`s 3AW radio the hotel was a scene of "absolute carnage".

He said he and a travel partner were also having breakfast at the Shangri-La when two blasts went off. He said he had seen two men wearing backpacks seconds before the blasts.

"There were people screaming and dead bodies all around," he said. "Kids crying, kids on the ground, I don`t know if they were dead or not, just crazy." 
There were similar scenes of carnage at two churches in or near Colombo, and a third church in the northeast town of Batticaloa, where worshippers had gathered for Easter Sunday services. Pictures from the scene showed bodies on the ground and blood-spattered pews and statues.

Dozens were killed in one of the blasts at the Gothic-style St. Sebastian church in Katuwapitiya, north of Colombo. Police said they suspected that blast was a suicide attack.

Three police officers were also killed when security forces raided a house in Colombo several hours after the attacks.

Authorities lifted a curfew in Sri Lanka on Monday, a day after 290 people were killed and about 500 wounded by a string of bombings that tore through churches and luxury hotels on Easter Sunday.

Authorities lifted a curfew in Sri Lanka on Monday, a day after 290 people were killed and about 500 wounded by a string of bombings that tore through churches and luxury hotels on Easter Sunday. There was still no claim of responsibility for the attacks on two churches and four hotels in and around Colombo, the capital of predominantly Buddhist Sri Lanka, and a third church on the country`s northeast coast. A government source said President Maithripala Sirisena, who was abroad when the attacks happened, had called a meeting of the National Security Council early on Monday. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe would attend the meeting, the source said. There were fears the attacks could spark a renewal of communal violence, with police reporting late on Sunday there had been a petrol bomb attack on a mosque in the northwest and arson attacks on two shops owned by Muslims in the west. Sri Lanka had been at war for decades with Tamil separatists but extremist violence had been on the wane since the civil war ended 10 years ago. The South Asian nation of about 22 million people has Christian, Muslim and Hindu populations of between about eight and 12 per cent. The island-wide curfew imposed by the government was lifted early on Monday, although there was uncharacteristically thin traffic in the normally bustling capital. Soldiers armed with automatic weapons stood guard outside major hotels and the World Trade Centre in the business district, where the four hotels were targeted on Easter Sunday, according to a Reuters witness. Scores of people who were stranded overnight at the main airport began making their way home as restrictions were lifted. The government also blocked access to social media and messaging sites, including Facebook and WhatsApp, making information hard to come by. Wickremesinghe acknowledged on Sunday that the government had some prior information about possible attacks on churches involving a little-known Islamist group, but said ministers had not been told. Sri Lankans accounted for the bulk of the 290 people killed and 500 wounded, although government officials said 32 foreigners were also killed. These included British, US, Turkish, Indian, Chinese, Danish, Dutch and Portuguese nations. A British mother and son eating breakfast at the luxury Shangri-La hotel were among those killed, Britain`s The Telegraph newspaper reported. One Australian survivor, identified only as Sam, told Australia`s 3AW radio the hotel was a scene of "absolute carnage". He said he and a travel partner were also having breakfast at the Shangri-La when two blasts went off. He said he had seen two men wearing backpacks seconds before the blasts. "There were people screaming and dead bodies all around," he said. "Kids crying, kids on the ground, I don`t know if they were dead or not, just crazy." There were similar scenes of carnage at two churches in or near Colombo, and a third church in the northeast town of Batticaloa, where worshippers had gathered for Easter Sunday services. Pictures from the scene showed bodies on the ground and blood-spattered pews and statues. Dozens were killed in one of the blasts at the Gothic-style St. Sebastian church in Katuwapitiya, north of Colombo. Police said they suspected that blast was a suicide attack. Three police officers were also killed when security forces raided a house in Colombo several hours after the attacks.

Sri Lanka bombings: Death toll from terror attack rises to 290, curfew lifted

An offensive by Islamists in northern Burkina Faso has left dozens of civilians dead and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes, Human Rights Watch said Friday.

"Atrocities by Islamist armed groups in Burkina Faso's northern Sahel region and by security forces during counterterrorism operations have left scores dead and created widespread fear and displacement," the group said in a 62-page report.

"The violence has forced tens of thousands of villagers to flee since early 2019," it said.

"Scores of people have been murdered in what amounts to a dramatic deterioration in the rights situation in northern Burkina Faso," said Corinne Dufka, Sahel director at Human Rights Watch.

"Villagers are living in fear as both armed Islamists and government forces have demonstrated utter disregard for human life."

More than 100,000 people have been displaced in the poor former French colony, over half of them since the start of 2019, officials have said.

Around 4.3 million people have been driven from their homes in the worsening violence that has engulfed the entire Sahel region, including one million over the past year, according to UN humanitarian officials.

Jihadist groups have gained ground in central Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, while Chad is battling unrest on its borders.

Since 2015, more than 300 people have been killed, typically in hit-and-run raids, and the Burkina Faso capital Ouagadougou has been hit three times.

An offensive by Islamists in northern Burkina Faso has left dozens of civilians dead and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes, Human Rights Watch said Friday.

An offensive by Islamists in northern Burkina Faso has left dozens of civilians dead and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes, Human Rights Watch said Friday. "Atrocities by Islamist armed groups in Burkina Faso's northern Sahel region and by security forces during counterterrorism operations have left scores dead and created widespread fear and displacement," the group said in a 62-page report. "The violence has forced tens of thousands of villagers to flee since early 2019," it said. "Scores of people have been murdered in what amounts to a dramatic deterioration in the rights situation in northern Burkina Faso," said Corinne Dufka, Sahel director at Human Rights Watch. "Villagers are living in fear as both armed Islamists and government forces have demonstrated utter disregard for human life." More than 100,000 people have been displaced in the poor former French colony, over half of them since the start of 2019, officials have said. Around 4.3 million people have been driven from their homes in the worsening violence that has engulfed the entire Sahel region, including one million over the past year, according to UN humanitarian officials. Jihadist groups have gained ground in central Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, while Chad is battling unrest on its borders. Since 2015, more than 300 people have been killed, typically in hit-and-run raids, and the Burkina Faso capital Ouagadougou has been hit three times.

Dozens dead in Islamist attack in Burkina Faso: Human Rights Watch

President Emmanuel Macron led national tributes on Wednesday to the gendarme who switched places with a woman hostage during an attack on a supermarket in southern France last week and was killed by the Islamist gunman.

Colonel Arnaud Beltrame's heroism has helped reassure a nation left shaken and in mourning after Moroccan-born Radouane Lakdim's killing spree, an attack that rekindled a debate over how France deals with suspected militant Islamists.

Tributes began with a minute's silence in gendarme barracks across France, before Beltrame's Tricolor-draped coffin was carried into the cobbled courtyard of Les Invalides, a former military hospital, where Macron solemnly addressed the nation.

"To accept to die so the innocent can live: that is the essence of what it means to be a soldier," he said. "Others, even many who are brave, would have wavered or hesitated."

After speaking, Macron posthumously awarded Beltrame the Legion of Honour, France's highest order of merit.

More than 240 people have been killed since early 2015 in France in attacks carried out by Islamist militants or individuals inspired by Islamist groups. Macron said France would prevail with calm against an "insidious enemy" that wanted to divide the French people and deprive them of their freedoms.

Lakdim's rampage began when he shot dead the occupant of a car he stole and fired on a group of police joggers, wounding one. He then headed to a supermarket in Trebes, east of the popular medieval tourist city of Carcassonne, where he killed an employee and a customer.

Beltrame, 44, led the team of gendarmes who arrived first on the scene. He persuaded Lakdim to release a woman he was holding as a human shield, laying down his weapon and putting his mobile phone on a table with the line surreptitiously left open.

When three shots later rang out, elite police stormed the building and shot dead Lakdim. Beltrame was found with bullet wounds to an arm and foot and a grave knife wound to the neck. He died the following morning in hospital.

French state and Islam

Colleagues of Beltrame have paid tribute to the gendarme's sense of duty, calmness under pressure and a generosity which inspired those serving beside him.

The attack has once again exposed secular France's struggle to integrate Europe's largest Muslim community and deal with the threat posed by home-grown militants and foreign jihadists.

"What we are fighting is clandestine Islamic fundamentalism, which spreads through social media, which does its work out of sight, which preys on weak and unstable minds, and which on our soil corrupts and indoctrinates on a daily basis," Macron said.

Lakdim had been on a government watch list - known as Fiche S - since 2014, suspected of links to a local Salafist network. But he had recently received a summons from the DGSI spy agency and was to be informed he was no longer viewed as a security risk, Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said.

Friday's attack was the first since Macron, in power since May, toughened security laws and lifted a two-year state of emergency. Right-wing political opponents have pressed Macron to deal firmly with radical preachers and Salafist mosques.

Macron has pledged to redefine relations between Islam and the state to foster a more homegrown form of Islam that would better fit with France's firm separation of church and state.

Far-right party leader Marine Le Pen and opposition leader Laurent Wauquiez have both called for foreigners on the Fiche S list to be expelled and the most dangerous French nationals on the watch list to be imprisoned.

"We must fight our battle within the bounds of the law," Philippe told lawmakers on Tuesday.

President Emmanuel Macron led national tributes on Wednesday to the gendarme who switched places with a woman hostage during an attack on a supermarket in southern France last week and was killed by the Islamist gunman

President Emmanuel Macron led national tributes on Wednesday to the gendarme who switched places with a woman hostage during an attack on a supermarket in southern France last week and was killed by the Islamist gunman. Colonel Arnaud Beltrame's heroism has helped reassure a nation left shaken and in mourning after Moroccan-born Radouane Lakdim's killing spree, an attack that rekindled a debate over how France deals with suspected militant Islamists. Tributes began with a minute's silence in gendarme barracks across France, before Beltrame's Tricolor-draped coffin was carried into the cobbled courtyard of Les Invalides, a former military hospital, where Macron solemnly addressed the nation. "To accept to die so the innocent can live: that is the essence of what it means to be a soldier," he said. "Others, even many who are brave, would have wavered or hesitated." After speaking, Macron posthumously awarded Beltrame the Legion of Honour, France's highest order of merit. More than 240 people have been killed since early 2015 in France in attacks carried out by Islamist militants or individuals inspired by Islamist groups. Macron said France would prevail with calm against an "insidious enemy" that wanted to divide the French people and deprive them of their freedoms. Lakdim's rampage began when he shot dead the occupant of a car he stole and fired on a group of police joggers, wounding one. He then headed to a supermarket in Trebes, east of the popular medieval tourist city of Carcassonne, where he killed an employee and a customer. Beltrame, 44, led the team of gendarmes who arrived first on the scene. He persuaded Lakdim to release a woman he was holding as a human shield, laying down his weapon and putting his mobile phone on a table with the line surreptitiously left open. When three shots later rang out, elite police stormed the building and shot dead Lakdim. Beltrame was found with bullet wounds to an arm and foot and a grave knife wound to the neck. He died the following morning in hospital. French state and Islam Colleagues of Beltrame have paid tribute to the gendarme's sense of duty, calmness under pressure and a generosity which inspired those serving beside him. The attack has once again exposed secular France's struggle to integrate Europe's largest Muslim community and deal with the threat posed by home-grown militants and foreign jihadists. "What we are fighting is clandestine Islamic fundamentalism, which spreads through social media, which does its work out of sight, which preys on weak and unstable minds, and which on our soil corrupts and indoctrinates on a daily basis," Macron said. Lakdim had been on a government watch list - known as Fiche S - since 2014, suspected of links to a local Salafist network. But he had recently received a summons from the DGSI spy agency and was to be informed he was no longer viewed as a security risk, Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said. Friday's attack was the first since Macron, in power since May, toughened security laws and lifted a two-year state of emergency. Right-wing political opponents have pressed Macron to deal firmly with radical preachers and Salafist mosques. Macron has pledged to redefine relations between Islam and the state to foster a more homegrown form of Islam that would better fit with France's firm separation of church and state. Far-right party leader Marine Le Pen and opposition leader Laurent Wauquiez have both called for foreigners on the Fiche S list to be expelled and the most dangerous French nationals on the watch list to be imprisoned. "We must fight our battle within the bounds of the law," Philippe told lawmakers on Tuesday.

France honours gendarme who sacrificed his life in Islamist attack

Hundreds of mourners packed a church in a rural French town rocked by a deadly Islamist attack for a Sunday service in tribute to the victims, who included a policeman hailed as a hero for offering himself in place of a hostage.

Lieutenant-Colonel Arnaud Beltrame, 44, was shot and stabbed after taking the place of a woman whom Radouane Lakdim had been using as a human shield during his attack Friday at a supermarket in the town of Trebes.

The sleepy town of 6,000, located on the picturesque Canal du Midi, is just eight kilometres (five miles) from the famed medieval walled city of Carcassonne, where a silent march is planned next Saturday, the eve of Easter Day.

The bishop of Carcassonne and Narbonne celebrated the mass in Trebes&#39; Saint-Etienne Church to honour the four killed and three wounded in the attack claimed by the Islamic State group.

Representatives from the Muslim community attended the mass.

&quot;Your presence tells us that the creators of hatred will not win,&quot; Bishop Alain Planet told them in his homily.

&quot;Now is the time only for prayer and compassion,&quot; he said. &quot;May such events help us find the strength to build a society in which they will no longer be possible.&quot;

Leaving the 14th-century church, Carcassonne imam Mohamed Belmihoub told reporters: &quot;The (Muslim) community has been stabbed, Islam itself has been stabbed... by people who use symbols that are dear to our hearts.&quot;

All of France is unhappy&#39;

After the mass, which had an overflow crowd listening through loudspeakers outside, pensioner Emile Acco said: &quot;I am very sad. All of France is unhappy. We want this to end.&quot;

A national tribute will be held at a later date for Beltrame, who President Emmanuel Macron said had &quot;died a hero&quot; and deserved &quot;the respect and admiration of the whole nation&quot;.

Following the worst jihadist attack of his presidency, Macron has called a meeting later this week of the security services monitoring individuals suspected of radicalisation.

General Richard Lizurey, chief of staff of France&#39;s gendarmes, on Sunday addressed the region&#39;s force, of which Beltrame was the third in command.

&quot;We... are proud to have counted Arnaud Beltrame in our ranks. His example must inspire us in our everyday duty,&quot; Lizurey told reporters afterward.

Lakdim, 25, a petty criminal, was on a watchlist, but authorities had concluded the Moroccan-born French national did not pose a threat.

Horrible attack

Investigators found notes referring to IS at Lakdim&#39;s home in Carcassonne, a legal source said, including a hand-written letter in which he claimed allegiance to the jihadist group.&nbsp;

Lakdim, who was armed with a gun, knife and homemade explosive devices according to a security source, was shot dead as police moved in to end his siege of the Super U supermarket where he had holed up after a shooting spree in Carcassonne.

He had hijacked a car in Carcassonne and shot the two people inside, killing the passenger and leaving the Portuguese driver in a critical condition.

He also shot and wounded a police officer out jogging.

Lakdim had already shot dead the supermarket&#39;s butcher and a customer when Beltrame offered to take the place of a woman he had taken hostage.

Lakdim shot and stabbed the policeman before anti-terror officers killed him.

Beltrame died of his wounds early Saturday, becoming the fourth victim in the shooting spree.

World leaders paid homage to the slain officer, with British Prime Minister Theresa May tweeting that his &quot;sacrifice and courage will never be forgotten&quot;, while US President Donald Trump denounced the &quot;horrible attack&quot;.&nbsp;

Petty criminal 

Lakdim fit a familiar profile as a petty criminal who had turned to extremism.&nbsp;

A small-time drug-dealer, his rap sheet included convictions for carrying a banned weapon and for drug use. He spent a month in jail in 2016.

His girlfriend and a 17-year-old friend were in custody.

According to a source close to the investigation, Lakdim had hinted at travelling to Syria in 2014, but did not go.

France, part of the US-led coalition fighting IS, remains on high alert following a string of deadly attacks that have killed more than 240 people since 2015.

During the attacks, he demanded the release of certain prisoners -- notably, according to a security source, Salah Abdeslam, the prime suspect in the November 2015 Paris terror attacks. &nbsp;

IS claimed Friday&#39;s attack was in response to its call to target Western enemies, as is customary when the assailant has pledged allegiance to the jihadists.

Hundreds of mourners packed a church in a rural French town rocked by a deadly Islamist attack for a Sunday service in tribute to the victims, who included a policeman hailed as a hero for offering himself in place of a hostage

Hundreds of mourners packed a church in a rural French town rocked by a deadly Islamist attack for a Sunday service in tribute to the victims, who included a policeman hailed as a hero for offering himself in place of a hostage. Lieutenant-Colonel Arnaud Beltrame, 44, was shot and stabbed after taking the place of a woman whom Radouane Lakdim had been using as a human shield during his attack Friday at a supermarket in the town of Trebes. The sleepy town of 6,000, located on the picturesque Canal du Midi, is just eight kilometres (five miles) from the famed medieval walled city of Carcassonne, where a silent march is planned next Saturday, the eve of Easter Day. The bishop of Carcassonne and Narbonne celebrated the mass in Trebes' Saint-Etienne Church to honour the four killed and three wounded in the attack claimed by the Islamic State group. Representatives from the Muslim community attended the mass. "Your presence tells us that the creators of hatred will not win," Bishop Alain Planet told them in his homily. "Now is the time only for prayer and compassion," he said. "May such events help us find the strength to build a society in which they will no longer be possible." Leaving the 14th-century church, Carcassonne imam Mohamed Belmihoub told reporters: "The (Muslim) community has been stabbed, Islam itself has been stabbed... by people who use symbols that are dear to our hearts." All of France is unhappy' After the mass, which had an overflow crowd listening through loudspeakers outside, pensioner Emile Acco said: "I am very sad. All of France is unhappy. We want this to end." A national tribute will be held at a later date for Beltrame, who President Emmanuel Macron said had "died a hero" and deserved "the respect and admiration of the whole nation". Following the worst jihadist attack of his presidency, Macron has called a meeting later this week of the security services monitoring individuals suspected of radicalisation. General Richard Lizurey, chief of staff of France's gendarmes, on Sunday addressed the region's force, of which Beltrame was the third in command. "We... are proud to have counted Arnaud Beltrame in our ranks. His example must inspire us in our everyday duty," Lizurey told reporters afterward. Lakdim, 25, a petty criminal, was on a watchlist, but authorities had concluded the Moroccan-born French national did not pose a threat. Horrible attack Investigators found notes referring to IS at Lakdim's home in Carcassonne, a legal source said, including a hand-written letter in which he claimed allegiance to the jihadist group. Lakdim, who was armed with a gun, knife and homemade explosive devices according to a security source, was shot dead as police moved in to end his siege of the Super U supermarket where he had holed up after a shooting spree in Carcassonne. He had hijacked a car in Carcassonne and shot the two people inside, killing the passenger and leaving the Portuguese driver in a critical condition. He also shot and wounded a police officer out jogging. Lakdim had already shot dead the supermarket's butcher and a customer when Beltrame offered to take the place of a woman he had taken hostage. Lakdim shot and stabbed the policeman before anti-terror officers killed him. Beltrame died of his wounds early Saturday, becoming the fourth victim in the shooting spree. World leaders paid homage to the slain officer, with British Prime Minister Theresa May tweeting that his "sacrifice and courage will never be forgotten", while US President Donald Trump denounced the "horrible attack". Petty criminal Lakdim fit a familiar profile as a petty criminal who had turned to extremism. A small-time drug-dealer, his rap sheet included convictions for carrying a banned weapon and for drug use. He spent a month in jail in 2016. His girlfriend and a 17-year-old friend were in custody. According to a source close to the investigation, Lakdim had hinted at travelling to Syria in 2014, but did not go. France, part of the US-led coalition fighting IS, remains on high alert following a string of deadly attacks that have killed more than 240 people since 2015. During the attacks, he demanded the release of certain prisoners -- notably, according to a security source, Salah Abdeslam, the prime suspect in the November 2015 Paris terror attacks. IS claimed Friday's attack was in response to its call to target Western enemies, as is customary when the assailant has pledged allegiance to the jihadists.

France pays tribute to victims of jihadist attack

Two Danish journalists were wounded by an attacker in Gabon&#39;s capital Libreville, the Gabonese defence minister said.&nbsp;

The attacker, while wielding a knife, yelled &quot;Allahu Akbar&quot; and stabbed the two National Geographic channel reporters in the middle of a popular market on Saturday.&nbsp;

&quot;According to the first testimonies at the scene, the assailant, a 53-year-old Nigerien man, shouted &#39;Allahu Akbar&#39; (&quot;God is Greatest&quot;) during the attack. He was arrested on the spot,&quot; said defense minister Etienne Massard.

The attack was reportedly committed in retribution for &quot;US attacks against Muslims&quot;, reports said.&nbsp;

The man, who has lived in Gabon for 19 years, &quot;in his first statements said he acted in retaliation for US attacks against Muslims and America&#39;s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital&quot; said Massard.

The two victims were sent to a hospital in the capital Libreville, one in a serious condition, government spokesman Alain-Claude Bilie By Nze said.&nbsp;

The attack was reportedly committed in retribution for 'US attacks against Muslims'

Two Danish journalists were wounded by an attacker in Gabon's capital Libreville, the Gabonese defence minister said. The attacker, while wielding a knife, yelled "Allahu Akbar" and stabbed the two National Geographic channel reporters in the middle of a popular market on Saturday. "According to the first testimonies at the scene, the assailant, a 53-year-old Nigerien man, shouted 'Allahu Akbar' ("God is Greatest") during the attack. He was arrested on the spot," said defense minister Etienne Massard. The attack was reportedly committed in retribution for "US attacks against Muslims", reports said. The man, who has lived in Gabon for 19 years, "in his first statements said he acted in retaliation for US attacks against Muslims and America's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital" said Massard. The two victims were sent to a hospital in the capital Libreville, one in a serious condition, government spokesman Alain-Claude Bilie By Nze said.

Two Danish journalists wounded in Islamist knife attack in Gabon

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said that despite security measures in place, there is &quot;not zero risk&quot; of &quot;terrorist crimes&quot; during the the Euro 2016 tournament. 
 
Cazeneuve made the remarks at a news conference after attending a meeting of the ministerial committee on security in Paris today 
 
&quot;We can always be confronted, when taking all the precautions, by individual acts from covert people or groups who have used encrypted ways to commit terrorist crimes. So we have to have the lucidity to say that the sum of precautions that we are taking does not mean there is zero risk, even if these precautions have allowed until now for the competition to carry on under good conditions,&quot; he said. 
 
Cazeneuve said French police had arrested 557 people to date for violence or other unlawful behaviour. Several were handed immediate jail sentences and 21 others were expelled from French territory. 
 
The prospect of a militant Islamist attack remained the main preoccupation, he said. 
 
&quot;The key word for what concerns me and the for what concerns the organisation teams and security teams is absolute vigilance and zero tolerance,&quot; said UEFA Euro 2016 president Jacques Lambert, who also attended the news conference along with the French minister for Cities, Youth and Sport Patrick Kanner. 
 
France is on high alert for such an assault since the November 13 attacks in Paris claimed by Islamic State. A state of emergency remains in place for the duration of the tournament.

French police had arrested 557 people to date for violence and 21 others were expelled from French territory

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said that despite security measures in place, there is "not zero risk" of "terrorist crimes" during the the Euro 2016 tournament. Cazeneuve made the remarks at a news conference after attending a meeting of the ministerial committee on security in Paris today "We can always be confronted, when taking all the precautions, by individual acts from covert people or groups who have used encrypted ways to commit terrorist crimes. So we have to have the lucidity to say that the sum of precautions that we are taking does not mean there is zero risk, even if these precautions have allowed until now for the competition to carry on under good conditions," he said. Cazeneuve said French police had arrested 557 people to date for violence or other unlawful behaviour. Several were handed immediate jail sentences and 21 others were expelled from French territory. The prospect of a militant Islamist attack remained the main preoccupation, he said. "The key word for what concerns me and the for what concerns the organisation teams and security teams is absolute vigilance and zero tolerance," said UEFA Euro 2016 president Jacques Lambert, who also attended the news conference along with the French minister for Cities, Youth and Sport Patrick Kanner. France is on high alert for such an assault since the November 13 attacks in Paris claimed by Islamic State. A state of emergency remains in place for the duration of the tournament.

Threat remains despite security precautions during Euro games - French Interior Minister

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