French interests possible targets of Zarqawi and GSPC
By Olivier Guitta
After the attacks on Jordan by the Zarqawi network, France is even more on a higher alert than last month. Already at that time Nicolas Sarkozy, Interior Minister had declared that the risk of a terrorist attack against France was 4 on a scale of 5. In light of Zarqawi's deal with the Algerian GSPC and their view as France as their number 1 enemy, Sarkozy does not sound paranoid. Also since July, preoccupying signs have emerged: for instance the discovery of 100 kgs of explosives in one suburb of Paris destined to French-Morroccan Islamist who had planned attacks in France. Then in August, an Al Qaeda attack on French researchers in Afghanistan was foiled thanks to French special forces on the ground. Then in September, thanks to US info gathered in Iraq, an Islamist network was arrested on the island of La Reunion while they were planning to bomb public buildings. And then the much publicized dismantling of the Safe Bourrada cell which had planned to bomb the Paris metro, the Orly aiport and the DST headquarters.
Also, terrorists might take the opportunity to to attack now on French soil while the focus for French authorities have been so much on the violent riots occuring in the past two weeks.