France Foils Terror Plot on Approach to Election Day

By Douglas V. Gibbs
Author, Speaker, Instructor, Radio Host

Two men have been arrested in Marseille, France under suspicion of planning a terrorist attack.  A search has revealed bomb-making materials and firearms, as well as an ISIS jihadist flag.  The arrest of the two Muslim jihadists, one 23 years old, the other 29, comes during the final days before Sunday's critical election that could put Marine Le Pen, a candidate that is calling for common sense policies regarding Muslim migrants, in the country's runoff election for the presidency.  Le Pen is scheduled to visit Marseille on Wednesday, and could have been considered a target by the jihadists.  Candidate Conservative Francois Fillon was also warned about the danger, suggesting that it is possible he also may have been the target.

The initial tip about the plot was provided by British intelligence services.

The two potential terrorists were arrested as part of an ongoing investigation.

According to France's Minister of Interior Matthias Fekl, the pair of Muslims were ready to carry out their attack on French soil "in the next couple of days."

Following a number of attacks in 2015 and 2016, France has been on high alert.  Attacks in Nice and Paris, alone, have left over 230 dead.  All of Europe is on pins and needles, following recent attacks in London and Stockholm.

Fekl has indicated that election day danger regarding terrorism, is "high and permanent", and the government has dispatched 50,000 officers across the country's 67,000 polling stations to try to prevent any terror attack or other outbreaks of violence by extremist groups.

So far in 2017, several terrorism-related arrests have been made in France.

During the election season, security has been fierce at campaign events with snipers and specialist anti-terror police units being deployed, and bomb disposal experts checking venues ahead of each rally.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary