Questions arose Tuesday over how a known radical Islamist who rammed a car laden with weapons and gas canisters into a police van on Paris&#39;s Champs-Elysees was able to hold a firearms licence.

Adam Djaziri, a 31-year-old who had been on a watchlist for radical Islamists since 2015, was killed on Monday as his car smashed into the police van on the French capital&#39;s most famous avenue.

Two handguns and a Kalashnikov-style assault rifle were found in the car, while a weapons stash was discovered at the home of the attacker.

A source close to the inquiry said a letter had been found in which Djaziri claimed allegiance to Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Djaziri&#39;s father, who has since been detained, told AFP his son practised shooting as a sport, and a source close to the probe said he had nine registered weapons including pistols and an assault rifle.

&#39;Double game&#39;

In the letter, Djaziri boasted that he was playing a &quot;double game&quot; by amassing weapons for an attack by posing as a shooting enthusiast, the source said.

The head of the French Shooting Federation said police officers had visited Djaziri&#39;s shooting club to enquire about him -- implying that his keen interest in guns had raised suspicions.&nbsp;

The attempted attack comes as France remains under a state of emergency after a wave of jihadist assaults that have left more than 230 people dead since 2015.

As the month-old government of President Emmanuel Macron prepares to unveil a tougher new anti-terrorism law, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe expressed dismay that Djaziri was able to have a gun permit.

&quot;What I know at this stage is that the first weapons permit was given before this individual was flagged up,&quot; he said in an interview with BFM television and RMC radio, but he added that &quot;no one can be satisfied -- and certainly not me&quot; that Djaziri was able to possess dangerous weapons after being put on a watchlist. &nbsp;

French Shooting Federation chief Philippe Crochard said Djaziri had been licensed for six years, and a source close to the probe said the attacker had requested a renewal of his permit in February.

&quot;Two policemen came in October 2016 and asked questions about this person. It isn&#39;t normal procedure, so I assume they had their reasons,&quot; Crochard told AFP.

Relatives detained

Djaziri&#39;s ex-wife, brother and sister-in-law were detained late on Monday after police questioned them at the family home in Plessis-Pate, south of Paris. Djaziri&#39;s father was also taken into custody, a judicial source said.

Raised in a strictly Salafist Muslim family, Djaziri had no criminal record but caught the attention of authorities after making several trips to Turkey -- a route used by many European fighters heading to Syria -- which he said were for work.

Burn marks were found on Djaziri&#39;s body but it was not yet clear how he died. There were no other casualties from the attempted attack.

Since the large-scale Paris attacks in November 2015 and last year&#39;s Nice truck attack, France has suffered a string of smaller assaults targeting security forces.

Djaziri died just a short distance from the spot on the Champs-Elysees where a jihadist shot dead a police officer two months ago.&nbsp;

Earlier this month an Algerian man attacked a policeman with a hammer outside Notre Dame cathedral, another key tourist draw, while troops shot dead a man at the capital&#39;s Orly airport in March after he attacked a soldier on patrol.

In February, a man armed with two machetes assaulted four soldiers patrolling outside the Louvre museum.

Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said Monday that the Champs-Elysees incident &quot;shows once again that the threat level remains extremely high in France&quot;.

Few details have emerged of the new anti-terrorism law due to be unveiled Wednesday.

But a draft leaked to the daily Le Monde has sparked concern among civil liberties campaigners who worry it could make some emergency measures permanent, such as the ability to conduct searches at any time of day or night and to restrict suspects to a certain geographic area.

The bill may also empower officials to shut down places of worship on the grounds of seeking to prevent a possible future attack.

The current state of emergency is due to expire on July 15 but the government is seeking to extend it until November 1.

Adam Djaziri, a 31-year-old who had been on a watchlist for radical Islamists since 2015, was killed on Monday as his car smashed into a police van in Paris

Questions arose Tuesday over how a known radical Islamist who rammed a car laden with weapons and gas canisters into a police van on Paris's Champs-Elysees was able to hold a firearms licence. Adam Djaziri, a 31-year-old who had been on a watchlist for radical Islamists since 2015, was killed on Monday as his car smashed into the police van on the French capital's most famous avenue. Two handguns and a Kalashnikov-style assault rifle were found in the car, while a weapons stash was discovered at the home of the attacker. A source close to the inquiry said a letter had been found in which Djaziri claimed allegiance to Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Djaziri's father, who has since been detained, told AFP his son practised shooting as a sport, and a source close to the probe said he had nine registered weapons including pistols and an assault rifle. 'Double game' In the letter, Djaziri boasted that he was playing a "double game" by amassing weapons for an attack by posing as a shooting enthusiast, the source said. The head of the French Shooting Federation said police officers had visited Djaziri's shooting club to enquire about him -- implying that his keen interest in guns had raised suspicions. The attempted attack comes as France remains under a state of emergency after a wave of jihadist assaults that have left more than 230 people dead since 2015. As the month-old government of President Emmanuel Macron prepares to unveil a tougher new anti-terrorism law, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe expressed dismay that Djaziri was able to have a gun permit. "What I know at this stage is that the first weapons permit was given before this individual was flagged up," he said in an interview with BFM television and RMC radio, but he added that "no one can be satisfied -- and certainly not me" that Djaziri was able to possess dangerous weapons after being put on a watchlist. French Shooting Federation chief Philippe Crochard said Djaziri had been licensed for six years, and a source close to the probe said the attacker had requested a renewal of his permit in February. "Two policemen came in October 2016 and asked questions about this person. It isn't normal procedure, so I assume they had their reasons," Crochard told AFP. Relatives detained Djaziri's ex-wife, brother and sister-in-law were detained late on Monday after police questioned them at the family home in Plessis-Pate, south of Paris. Djaziri's father was also taken into custody, a judicial source said. Raised in a strictly Salafist Muslim family, Djaziri had no criminal record but caught the attention of authorities after making several trips to Turkey -- a route used by many European fighters heading to Syria -- which he said were for work. Burn marks were found on Djaziri's body but it was not yet clear how he died. There were no other casualties from the attempted attack. Since the large-scale Paris attacks in November 2015 and last year's Nice truck attack, France has suffered a string of smaller assaults targeting security forces. Djaziri died just a short distance from the spot on the Champs-Elysees where a jihadist shot dead a police officer two months ago. Earlier this month an Algerian man attacked a policeman with a hammer outside Notre Dame cathedral, another key tourist draw, while troops shot dead a man at the capital's Orly airport in March after he attacked a soldier on patrol. In February, a man armed with two machetes assaulted four soldiers patrolling outside the Louvre museum. Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said Monday that the Champs-Elysees incident "shows once again that the threat level remains extremely high in France". Few details have emerged of the new anti-terrorism law due to be unveiled Wednesday. But a draft leaked to the daily Le Monde has sparked concern among civil liberties campaigners who worry it could make some emergency measures permanent, such as the ability to conduct searches at any time of day or night and to restrict suspects to a certain geographic area. The bill may also empower officials to shut down places of worship on the grounds of seeking to prevent a possible future attack. The current state of emergency is due to expire on July 15 but the government is seeking to extend it until November 1.

Paris attacker had firearms licence despite being on terror watchlist

French investigators have found a written note defending Islamic State next to the body of the gunman who shot dead a policeman in Paris on Thursday night, a judicial source told Reuters.

The gunman, identified as Karim Cheurfi, opened fire on a police vehicle parked on the Champs Elysees in Paris.&nbsp;

Cheurfi, a French national who lived in the eastern Paris suburb of Chelles, had been convicted for previous armed assaults on law enforcement officers going back 16 years, the sources said, and was well known to authorities, Reuters reported.

In addition to the assault rifle used in the attack, he had a pump action shotgun and knives in his car, the sources said. Three of his family members have been placed in detention, the French interior ministry announced on Friday.

The hardline militant group ISIS claimed the attack, which also wounded two other police officers.

The attack overshadowed the last day of campaigning for Sunday&#39;s presidential election first round, bringing issues surrounding Islamist militancy to the fore.

French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen renewed&nbsp;calls to reinstate border controls, adding she will &quot;protect&nbsp;France&nbsp;if she wins Sunday&#39;s election&quot;.

Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve quickly hit back saying Marine Le Pen was looking to exploit the Paris shooting&nbsp;to score &quot;political points&quot;&nbsp;and divide the people.

The attack echoed across the Atlantic with&nbsp;US&nbsp;President Donald Trump wading into France&#39;s presidential election, tweeting that he expected the killing of a policeman in central Paris to have an impact on Sunday&#39;s vote.

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Another terrorist attack in Paris. The people of France will not take much more of this. Will have a big effect on presidential election!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/855368516920332289">April 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The race is tight with the four best-performing candidates in the latest polls all in with a chance of making the run-off on May 7 which will decide who wins the presidency.

IFOP pollster Frederic Dabi said the impact was likely to be limited as the French people have become accustomed to living with the threat of attacks, Reuters reported.

(WION with Reuters input)

French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has declared she will 'protect?France?if she wins Sunday's election'

French investigators have found a written note defending Islamic State next to the body of the gunman who shot dead a policeman in Paris on Thursday night, a judicial source told Reuters. The gunman, identified as Karim Cheurfi, opened fire on a police vehicle parked on the Champs Elysees in Paris. Cheurfi, a French national who lived in the eastern Paris suburb of Chelles, had been convicted for previous armed assaults on law enforcement officers going back 16 years, the sources said, and was well known to authorities, Reuters reported. In addition to the assault rifle used in the attack, he had a pump action shotgun and knives in his car, the sources said. Three of his family members have been placed in detention, the French interior ministry announced on Friday. The hardline militant group ISIS claimed the attack, which also wounded two other police officers. The attack overshadowed the last day of campaigning for Sunday's presidential election first round, bringing issues surrounding Islamist militancy to the fore. French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen renewed calls to reinstate border controls, adding she will "protect France if she wins Sunday's election". Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve quickly hit back saying Marine Le Pen was looking to exploit the Paris shooting to score "political points" and divide the people. The attack echoed across the Atlantic with US President Donald Trump wading into France's presidential election, tweeting that he expected the killing of a policeman in central Paris to have an impact on Sunday's vote. Another terrorist attack in Paris. The people of France will not take much more of this. Will have a big effect on presidential election! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 21, 2017 × The race is tight with the four best-performing candidates in the latest polls all in with a chance of making the run-off on May 7 which will decide who wins the presidency. IFOP pollster Frederic Dabi said the impact was likely to be limited as the French people have become accustomed to living with the threat of attacks, Reuters reported. (WION with Reuters input)

Paris attack suspect Karim Cheurfi's first pictures surface as French politicians debate 'border controls'

Security forces at Paris&#39; Orly airport on Saturday shot dead a man who grabbed a weapon from a soldier, as France was on alert just weeks away from presidential elections.

The second largest airport in the French capital was evacuated following the shooting at around 8:30am (0730GMT) and both terminals were closed, airport authorities said.

&quot;A man took a weapon from a soldier then hid in a shop in the airport before being shot dead by security forces,&quot; interior ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet told AFP.&nbsp;

He said no one was wounded in the incident. Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux is due to visit the facility, in Paris&#39; southern outskirts.

Brandet said demining operations were underway to determine if the man had explosives on him. He said nearly 3,000 people had been evacuated from the southern terminal alone but those in the other one had been &quot;confined.&quot;

Traffic to Orly has been &quot;completely suspended,&quot; France&#39;s civil aviation authority said.

France is still in a state of emergency after a series of terror attacks, including the November 2015 massacre in Paris and a truck attack in Nice, in July last year. In mid-February, an Egyptian staged a machete attack in Paris&#39;s Louvre museum before being shot and wounded.

The latest shooting comes weeks ahead of the first round of France&#39;s two-stage presidential election, in which security is one of the main issues on voters&#39; minds. &nbsp;&nbsp;

&quot;We had queued up to check in for the Tel Aviv flight when we heard three or four shots nearby,&quot; witness Franck Lecam said.

&#39;Policemen everywhere&#39;&nbsp;

&quot;We are all outside the airport, about 200 metres from the entrance,&quot; the 54-year-old Lecam said.&nbsp;

&quot;There are policemen, emergency workers and soldiers everywhere in all directions. A security official told us that it happened near gates 37-38 where Turkish Airlines flights were scheduled.&quot;

The soldier from whom the man took the weapon was a part of Operation Sentinelle, deployed after the January 2015 Paris attacks.&nbsp;

It involves some 7,000 troops of whom roughly half are deployed in the Paris region. They are charged with guarding religious sites which could be targets of terror attacks as well as airports, railway stations and tourist spots.

A notice was posted on the Paris airports authority website urging passengers not to travel to Orly.

Budget airlines easyJet said in a statement that &quot;like all other airlines&quot; it expected interruptions and flight delays, adding that 46 ot its flights were due to fly in and out of the airport on Saturday.

On Thursday, a letter bomb exploded at the Paris offices of the International Monetary Fund, injuring a secretary who suffered burns to her hands and face.

French President Francois Hollande called it an &quot;attack&quot;, saying it showed the country was &quot;still targeted&quot;.

&quot;All this leads me to justify the state of emergency&quot; that has been in effect since November 2015, Hollande said.&nbsp;

The Paris letter bomb coincided with a school shooting in the southern town of Grasse that left around 10 people injured and rattled nerves.

(AFP)

The airport was evacuated following the incident, BFM TV reported

Security forces at Paris' Orly airport on Saturday shot dead a man who grabbed a weapon from a soldier, as France was on alert just weeks away from presidential elections. The second largest airport in the French capital was evacuated following the shooting at around 8:30am (0730GMT) and both terminals were closed, airport authorities said. "A man took a weapon from a soldier then hid in a shop in the airport before being shot dead by security forces," interior ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet told AFP. He said no one was wounded in the incident. Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux is due to visit the facility, in Paris' southern outskirts. Brandet said demining operations were underway to determine if the man had explosives on him. He said nearly 3,000 people had been evacuated from the southern terminal alone but those in the other one had been "confined." Traffic to Orly has been "completely suspended," France's civil aviation authority said. France is still in a state of emergency after a series of terror attacks, including the November 2015 massacre in Paris and a truck attack in Nice, in July last year. In mid-February, an Egyptian staged a machete attack in Paris's Louvre museum before being shot and wounded. The latest shooting comes weeks ahead of the first round of France's two-stage presidential election, in which security is one of the main issues on voters' minds. "We had queued up to check in for the Tel Aviv flight when we heard three or four shots nearby," witness Franck Lecam said. 'Policemen everywhere' "We are all outside the airport, about 200 metres from the entrance," the 54-year-old Lecam said. "There are policemen, emergency workers and soldiers everywhere in all directions. A security official told us that it happened near gates 37-38 where Turkish Airlines flights were scheduled." The soldier from whom the man took the weapon was a part of Operation Sentinelle, deployed after the January 2015 Paris attacks. It involves some 7,000 troops of whom roughly half are deployed in the Paris region. They are charged with guarding religious sites which could be targets of terror attacks as well as airports, railway stations and tourist spots. A notice was posted on the Paris airports authority website urging passengers not to travel to Orly. Budget airlines easyJet said in a statement that "like all other airlines" it expected interruptions and flight delays, adding that 46 ot its flights were due to fly in and out of the airport on Saturday. On Thursday, a letter bomb exploded at the Paris offices of the International Monetary Fund, injuring a secretary who suffered burns to her hands and face. French President Francois Hollande called it an "attack", saying it showed the country was "still targeted". "All this leads me to justify the state of emergency" that has been in effect since November 2015, Hollande said. The Paris letter bomb coincided with a school shooting in the southern town of Grasse that left around 10 people injured and rattled nerves. (AFP)

Man shot dead after trying to steal weapon from soldier at Paris' Orly airport

France&#39;s run to the Euro 2016 final on home soil has given the country &quot;an escape&quot; after the horror of last November&#39;s Paris attacks, captain Hugo Lloris said today. 
 
The rolling attacks on the French capital, claimed by the Islamic State group, left 130 people dead and led to calls for the tournament to be cancelled. 
 
The France team also experienced pre-competition problems, with striker Karim Benzema dropped over a blackmail plot involving team-mate Mathieu Valbuena, but they have managed to reach Sunday&#39;s final against Portugal. 
 
&quot;Of course we`ve had some very difficult times this year, both with those tragic events, but also with events that have gone on off the field,&quot; Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Lloris told a press conference at Stade de France. 
 
&quot;But we&#39;re even prouder to be on the pitch, to feel the entire French population behind us, to feel this happiness which is shared between the players and the French people. 
 
&quot;That gives us strength and is lovely to see. But we still have that final step to take to finish this competition in the best possible fashion. 
 
&quot;The French people really needed to escape via this competition, and sport has this strength: to unite people. 
 
&quot;We are currently experiencing that. We still have one step to take, the hardest one, but one that`s worth it.&quot; 
 
France will tackle Portugal at their national stadium after overcoming Germany 2-0 in the semi-finals courtesy of a brace from tournament top scorer Antoine Griezmann. 
 
As well as diverting attention from the November attacks, France&#39;s vibrant displays have helped to obscure the memory of the squad&#39;s shameful antics at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. 
 
The players refused to train at their Knysna training base in protest at striker Nicolas Anelka&#39;s expulsion from the squad for insulting coach Raymond Domenech and the team were eliminated in the first round. 
 
There are only five survivors from that campaign in current coach Didier Deschamps&#39;s squad: Lloris, Bacary Sagna, Patrice Evra, Steve Mandanda and Andre-Pierre Gignac. 
 
Reflecting on how the squad&#39;s image has improved since 2010, Manchester City full-back Sagna said: &quot;Knysna is one of the events that marked French football. 
 
&quot;We made a mistake, clearly. We brought French football to its lowest point. We showed a very, very bad image. 
 
&quot;We had to put in a lot of effort and a lot of work to restore our reputation. We`re just getting there six years later. 
 
&quot;We want to give French people something to smile about, to show a completely different image. We can`t change the past, but we can build a better future.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Last November's Paris attacks left 130 people dead and led to calls for the tournament, which France is hosting, to be cancelled

France's run to the Euro 2016 final on home soil has given the country "an escape" after the horror of last November's Paris attacks, captain Hugo Lloris said today. The rolling attacks on the French capital, claimed by the Islamic State group, left 130 people dead and led to calls for the tournament to be cancelled. The France team also experienced pre-competition problems, with striker Karim Benzema dropped over a blackmail plot involving team-mate Mathieu Valbuena, but they have managed to reach Sunday's final against Portugal. "Of course we`ve had some very difficult times this year, both with those tragic events, but also with events that have gone on off the field," Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Lloris told a press conference at Stade de France. "But we're even prouder to be on the pitch, to feel the entire French population behind us, to feel this happiness which is shared between the players and the French people. "That gives us strength and is lovely to see. But we still have that final step to take to finish this competition in the best possible fashion. "The French people really needed to escape via this competition, and sport has this strength: to unite people. "We are currently experiencing that. We still have one step to take, the hardest one, but one that`s worth it." France will tackle Portugal at their national stadium after overcoming Germany 2-0 in the semi-finals courtesy of a brace from tournament top scorer Antoine Griezmann. As well as diverting attention from the November attacks, France's vibrant displays have helped to obscure the memory of the squad's shameful antics at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The players refused to train at their Knysna training base in protest at striker Nicolas Anelka's expulsion from the squad for insulting coach Raymond Domenech and the team were eliminated in the first round. There are only five survivors from that campaign in current coach Didier Deschamps's squad: Lloris, Bacary Sagna, Patrice Evra, Steve Mandanda and Andre-Pierre Gignac. Reflecting on how the squad's image has improved since 2010, Manchester City full-back Sagna said: "Knysna is one of the events that marked French football. "We made a mistake, clearly. We brought French football to its lowest point. We showed a very, very bad image. "We had to put in a lot of effort and a lot of work to restore our reputation. We`re just getting there six years later. "We want to give French people something to smile about, to show a completely different image. We can`t change the past, but we can build a better future." (AFP)

France make it to final, skipper says 'French people really needed to escape'

French authorities filed terror charges yesterday against two suspected members of the same Islamic State cell that massacred 130 people in Paris last November, a judicial source said. 
 
The 29-year-old Algerian Adel Haddadi and the 35-year-old Pakistani Mohamad Usman were charged with &quot;criminal conspiracy with terrorists&quot;, the source said of the men turned over earlier Friday by Austrian authorities. 
 
Investigators believe they travelled to the Greek island of Leros on October 3 on the same boat full of refugees as two men who took part in the November 13 attacks. 
 
Those two, thought to be Iraqis, blew themselves up outside the Stade de France stadium, one of a series of brazen assaults by around 10 people around the French capital. 
 
But Haddadi and Usman were held up, detained by Greek authorities for 25 days because they had fake Syrian passports. 
 
Once let go, they followed the main migrant trail and made it to Salzburg in western Austria at the end of November - after the Paris attacks. 
 
Austrian police commandos then arrested them in December at a migrant centre a few hours after French authorities informed them the men could be in the country. 
 
Austrian police said on Friday &quot;that during the entire journey and until their arrest the men remained in constant contact with the terror group &#39;Islamic State&#39;.&quot; 
 
After his arrest, Haddadi told investigators that he wanted to go to France to &quot;carry out a mission,&quot; according to a statement seen by AFP. 
 
A source close to the investigation said that Haddadi &quot;was meant to take part in the Paris killings with his travelling companions.&quot; 
 
After France filed a European arrest warrant, a court in Salzburg approved at the beginning of July the transfer of the two men to France. 
 
Usman is reportedly thought to be a bomb maker for Pakistani extremist organisations including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). 
 
India holds LeT, allegedly linked to Al-Qaeda, responsible for attacks in 2008 in Mumbai that killed 166 people. 
 
Usman unsuccessfully appealed against his transfer from Austria, saying he would not get a fair trial in France and that he feared for his safety. 
 
Salzburg prosecutors added yesterday that two more men, a Moroccan and an Algerian arrested eight days after the others, remained in custody. 
 
In December prosecutors had said that the men, aged 25 and 40 at the time, were being held &quot;because of indications of close contact&quot; with the two now transferred to France. 
 
(AFP)

The 29-year-old Algerian and the 35-year-old Pakistani were charged with 'criminal conspiracy with terrorists'

French authorities filed terror charges yesterday against two suspected members of the same Islamic State cell that massacred 130 people in Paris last November, a judicial source said. The 29-year-old Algerian Adel Haddadi and the 35-year-old Pakistani Mohamad Usman were charged with "criminal conspiracy with terrorists", the source said of the men turned over earlier Friday by Austrian authorities. Investigators believe they travelled to the Greek island of Leros on October 3 on the same boat full of refugees as two men who took part in the November 13 attacks. Those two, thought to be Iraqis, blew themselves up outside the Stade de France stadium, one of a series of brazen assaults by around 10 people around the French capital. But Haddadi and Usman were held up, detained by Greek authorities for 25 days because they had fake Syrian passports. Once let go, they followed the main migrant trail and made it to Salzburg in western Austria at the end of November - after the Paris attacks. Austrian police commandos then arrested them in December at a migrant centre a few hours after French authorities informed them the men could be in the country. Austrian police said on Friday "that during the entire journey and until their arrest the men remained in constant contact with the terror group 'Islamic State'." After his arrest, Haddadi told investigators that he wanted to go to France to "carry out a mission," according to a statement seen by AFP. A source close to the investigation said that Haddadi "was meant to take part in the Paris killings with his travelling companions." After France filed a European arrest warrant, a court in Salzburg approved at the beginning of July the transfer of the two men to France. Usman is reportedly thought to be a bomb maker for Pakistani extremist organisations including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). India holds LeT, allegedly linked to Al-Qaeda, responsible for attacks in 2008 in Mumbai that killed 166 people. Usman unsuccessfully appealed against his transfer from Austria, saying he would not get a fair trial in France and that he feared for his safety. Salzburg prosecutors added yesterday that two more men, a Moroccan and an Algerian arrested eight days after the others, remained in custody. In December prosecutors had said that the men, aged 25 and 40 at the time, were being held "because of indications of close contact" with the two now transferred to France. (AFP)

France charges two men over links to Paris attacks

Nearly 80 were killed late on Thursday when a truck ploughed into a crowd in the French Riviera resort of Nice during Bastille Day celebrations, the latest attack in a country still reeling from last year&#39;s Islamic State terror assaults. 
 
Here is a recap of major attacks and foiled attempts since the Charlie Hebdo shootings in January 2015. 
 
January 7-9, 2015: Two men armed with Kalashnikov rifles storm the Paris offices of satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo killing 12, including eight cartoonists. A policewoman is killed just outside Paris the following day, while a gunman takes hostages at a Jewish supermarket, four of whom are killed. The Charlie Hebdo attackers and the hostage-taker are killed in separate shootouts with police, but not before claiming allegiance to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS) respectively.&nbsp; 
 
February 3: Three soldiers guarding a Jewish community centre in Nice on the French Riviera, are attacked by a knife-wielding man. The 30-year-old assailant, Moussa Coulibaly, is arrested. In custody, he expresses his hatred for France, the police, the military and Jews. 
 
April 19: Sid Ahmed Ghlam, an Algerian IT student, is arrested in Paris on suspicion of killing a woman who was found shot dead in the passenger seat of her car, and of planning an attack on a church in the Paris suburb of Villejuif. Prosecutors say they found documents about Al-Qaeda and the IS at his home, and that he had been in touch with a suspected jihadist in Syria about an attack on a church. 
 
June 26 : Frenchman Yassin Salhi, 35, kills and beheads his boss Herve Cornara and displays the severed head on the fence of a gas plant surrounded by Islamic flags. He tries to blow up the factory at Saint-Quentin-Fallavier in southeast France, but is arrested. He commits suicide in his jail cell in December. 
 
&nbsp;July 13 : Four young men aged 16 to 23, including a former soldier, are arrested on charges of planning an attack on a military camp to behead an officer in the name of jihad. They proclaim allegiance to IS. 
 
August 21 : American, British and French passengers prevent a bloodbath on a high-speed Thalys train from Amsterdam to Paris, tackling a man who opened fire on passengers. He was armed with a Kalashnikov assault rifle, an automatic pistol, and a box-cutter. The gunman is identified as 25-year-old Moroccan national Ayoub El Khazzani, known to intelligence services for links to radical Islam. 
 
November 13: Nine men,most of whom had fought alongside IS extremists in Syria, unleash explosives near the Stade de France stadium and open fire on people enjoying a night out at bars and restaurants in Paris, and at the Bataclan concert hall that lies just a short walk from where the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists were killed. In all, 130 people lose their lives and 350 are wounded. On November 14, the IS claims responsibility. 
 
November 18: A teacher at a Jewish school in the southern city of Marseille is stabbed by three people shouting anti-Semitic obscenities and expressing support for the IS. The man, himself Jewish, is injured in the arms, legs and stomach. 
 
January 1, 2016: A Frenchman of Tunisian origin tries to run down troops guarding a mosque in the southeastern town of Valence. He is charged with attempted homicide after telling emergency responders he &quot;wanted to be killed by soldiers and to kill soldiers... a way for him to appear like a martyr&quot;. 
 
January 7, 2016: A man wielding a meat cleaver and carrying the emblem of the IS is shot dead as he tries to attack a police station in Paris. Convicted of theft in 2013, the man identified himself at the time as Sallah Ali, born in the Moroccan city of Casablanca in 1995. 
 
June 13, 2016: Police officer Jean-Baptiste Salvaing, 42, and his companion, Jessica Schneider, 36, are killed at their home in Magnanville, west of Paris, by Larosssi Abballa, 25. Salvaing is stabbed to death, while Schneider`s throat is slit in front of their young son. Abballa is killed by a police SWAT team, but has already claimed the murders on social media in the name of the Islamic State group. 
 
July 14, 2016: A truck barrels two kilometres (1.3 miles) through a crowd on Nice&#39;s palm-lined Promenade des Anglais after a Bastille Day fireworks display, killing at least 80 people and injuring scores more. The driver is shot dead by security forces.There is no immediate claim of responsibility but prosecutors say the probe will be handled by anti-terrorism investigators. 
 
(AFP)

France has seen 11 attacks after the killings in the headquarter of the French satirical magazine on January 7, 2015

Nearly 80 were killed late on Thursday when a truck ploughed into a crowd in the French Riviera resort of Nice during Bastille Day celebrations, the latest attack in a country still reeling from last year's Islamic State terror assaults. Here is a recap of major attacks and foiled attempts since the Charlie Hebdo shootings in January 2015. January 7-9, 2015: Two men armed with Kalashnikov rifles storm the Paris offices of satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo killing 12, including eight cartoonists. A policewoman is killed just outside Paris the following day, while a gunman takes hostages at a Jewish supermarket, four of whom are killed. The Charlie Hebdo attackers and the hostage-taker are killed in separate shootouts with police, but not before claiming allegiance to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS) respectively. February 3: Three soldiers guarding a Jewish community centre in Nice on the French Riviera, are attacked by a knife-wielding man. The 30-year-old assailant, Moussa Coulibaly, is arrested. In custody, he expresses his hatred for France, the police, the military and Jews. April 19: Sid Ahmed Ghlam, an Algerian IT student, is arrested in Paris on suspicion of killing a woman who was found shot dead in the passenger seat of her car, and of planning an attack on a church in the Paris suburb of Villejuif. Prosecutors say they found documents about Al-Qaeda and the IS at his home, and that he had been in touch with a suspected jihadist in Syria about an attack on a church. June 26 : Frenchman Yassin Salhi, 35, kills and beheads his boss Herve Cornara and displays the severed head on the fence of a gas plant surrounded by Islamic flags. He tries to blow up the factory at Saint-Quentin-Fallavier in southeast France, but is arrested. He commits suicide in his jail cell in December. July 13 : Four young men aged 16 to 23, including a former soldier, are arrested on charges of planning an attack on a military camp to behead an officer in the name of jihad. They proclaim allegiance to IS. August 21 : American, British and French passengers prevent a bloodbath on a high-speed Thalys train from Amsterdam to Paris, tackling a man who opened fire on passengers. He was armed with a Kalashnikov assault rifle, an automatic pistol, and a box-cutter. The gunman is identified as 25-year-old Moroccan national Ayoub El Khazzani, known to intelligence services for links to radical Islam. November 13: Nine men,most of whom had fought alongside IS extremists in Syria, unleash explosives near the Stade de France stadium and open fire on people enjoying a night out at bars and restaurants in Paris, and at the Bataclan concert hall that lies just a short walk from where the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists were killed. In all, 130 people lose their lives and 350 are wounded. On November 14, the IS claims responsibility. November 18: A teacher at a Jewish school in the southern city of Marseille is stabbed by three people shouting anti-Semitic obscenities and expressing support for the IS. The man, himself Jewish, is injured in the arms, legs and stomach. January 1, 2016: A Frenchman of Tunisian origin tries to run down troops guarding a mosque in the southeastern town of Valence. He is charged with attempted homicide after telling emergency responders he "wanted to be killed by soldiers and to kill soldiers... a way for him to appear like a martyr". January 7, 2016: A man wielding a meat cleaver and carrying the emblem of the IS is shot dead as he tries to attack a police station in Paris. Convicted of theft in 2013, the man identified himself at the time as Sallah Ali, born in the Moroccan city of Casablanca in 1995. June 13, 2016: Police officer Jean-Baptiste Salvaing, 42, and his companion, Jessica Schneider, 36, are killed at their home in Magnanville, west of Paris, by Larosssi Abballa, 25. Salvaing is stabbed to death, while Schneider`s throat is slit in front of their young son. Abballa is killed by a police SWAT team, but has already claimed the murders on social media in the name of the Islamic State group. July 14, 2016: A truck barrels two kilometres (1.3 miles) through a crowd on Nice's palm-lined Promenade des Anglais after a Bastille Day fireworks display, killing at least 80 people and injuring scores more. The driver is shot dead by security forces.There is no immediate claim of responsibility but prosecutors say the probe will be handled by anti-terrorism investigators. (AFP)

List of attacks in France since Charlie Hebdo slayings

Belgian police arrested 12 people suspected of planning new attacks after about 40 houses were searched across the country overnight, the federal prosecutor&#39;s office said today. 
 
Europe is on high security alert, with the Euro 2016 soccer tournament underway in neighbouring France, after Islamist suicide bombers killed 32 people in Brussels in March following attacks in Paris in November in which 130 people died. 
 
&quot;In connection with a criminal investigation concerning terrorism, 40 persons were taken for questioning. Twelve among them were arrested. The investigating judge will decide on their possible detention later today,&quot; the office said. 
 
&quot;The investigatory results necessitated an immediate intervention. The investigation continues.&quot; 
 
Investigators have found links between the Brussels and Paris attackers, some of whom were based in Belgium. 
 
Belgium&#39;s federal prosecutor&#39;s office said no weapons or explosives were found during the searches, which also involved 152 garage lockups. 
 
A French police couple were stabbed to death outside their home on Monday in an attack claimed by Islamic State. In a video posted on social networks, the Larossi Abballa, the attacker, linked it to the soccer tournament, saying: &quot;The Euros will be a graveyard.&quot; 
 
A spokeswoman for Paris public prosecutor Francois Molins said two people close to Abballa would meet a judge on Saturday. 
 
Flemish public broadcaster VTM said the people arrested overnight were suspected of planning an attack in Brussels this weekend during one of Belgium&#39;s soccer matches. 
 
Belgian newspaper Le Soir said areas where fans watch matches were potential targets, as well as other crowded areas like shopping centres and stations, citing a security source. 
 
Belgian police on Wednesday received an anti-terror alert warning that a group of Islamic State fighters recently left Syria en route for Europe planning attacks in Belgium and France, security officials said. 
 
Public broadcaster RTBF said the country&#39;s crisis centre on Friday placed several government ministers, including Prime Minister Charles Michel, under heightened protection. 
 
Police arrested and detained a 30-year-old man named as Youssef E.A, a Belgian national, on Friday on suspicion of taking part in terrorist activities in connection with the Brussels attacks. 
(Reuters)

The police had received an anti-terror alert warning about Islamic State fighters leaving Syria to plan fresh attacks in Belgium and France

Belgian police arrested 12 people suspected of planning new attacks after about 40 houses were searched across the country overnight, the federal prosecutor's office said today. Europe is on high security alert, with the Euro 2016 soccer tournament underway in neighbouring France, after Islamist suicide bombers killed 32 people in Brussels in March following attacks in Paris in November in which 130 people died. "In connection with a criminal investigation concerning terrorism, 40 persons were taken for questioning. Twelve among them were arrested. The investigating judge will decide on their possible detention later today," the office said. "The investigatory results necessitated an immediate intervention. The investigation continues." Investigators have found links between the Brussels and Paris attackers, some of whom were based in Belgium. Belgium's federal prosecutor's office said no weapons or explosives were found during the searches, which also involved 152 garage lockups. A French police couple were stabbed to death outside their home on Monday in an attack claimed by Islamic State. In a video posted on social networks, the Larossi Abballa, the attacker, linked it to the soccer tournament, saying: "The Euros will be a graveyard." A spokeswoman for Paris public prosecutor Francois Molins said two people close to Abballa would meet a judge on Saturday. Flemish public broadcaster VTM said the people arrested overnight were suspected of planning an attack in Brussels this weekend during one of Belgium's soccer matches. Belgian newspaper Le Soir said areas where fans watch matches were potential targets, as well as other crowded areas like shopping centres and stations, citing a security source. Belgian police on Wednesday received an anti-terror alert warning that a group of Islamic State fighters recently left Syria en route for Europe planning attacks in Belgium and France, security officials said. Public broadcaster RTBF said the country's crisis centre on Friday placed several government ministers, including Prime Minister Charles Michel, under heightened protection. Police arrested and detained a 30-year-old man named as Youssef E.A, a Belgian national, on Friday on suspicion of taking part in terrorist activities in connection with the Brussels attacks. (Reuters)

Belgian police detain 12 suspected of planning attacks

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