According to French Prime Minister Hollande over 150 raids have taken place across France of militant targets. The state of emergency allows police to question people who are suspected to be part of the radical Islamic movement. More than 23 people have been arrested and an additional 100 placed on “house arrest.”
This after Friday night’s horror where six locations in Paris were attacked by suicide bombers and assault rifles. 129 people were killed and 352 wounded. Seven attackers died, most by suicide detonation.
BBC reports police sources as saying targets in Paris as well as in the cities of Grenoble, Toulouse and Lyon had been raided.
The international ramifications are becoming clear. One of the terrorists is known to have entered France as a refugee, but German Chancellor Angela Merkel so far is resisting pressure to stop the flow of Syrian refugees into Germany, an act that would have repercussions all the way back to the Balkans. Other countries such as Poland and Hungary are re-examining their refugee policies as well. British Prime Minister David Cameron has stated the threat level in the United Kingdom is “severe”
Author’s note: Just the fact that 150 locations were known and raided shows the extent of radical Islam within France. Of course, if this many locations were known, how many are still hidden? Perhaps a thousand?
We believe this will no longer be a “below the radar” fight within Europe. Hollande’s declaration of an “act of war” will become literal and the battle will become very public.
Which incidentally is exactly what the terrorists wanted.