French Interior Minister Warns US About Islamist Terror Threat

Gerald Darmanin, the French Interior Minister, wrapped up a 2-day visit to the US by warning that for Europe and France, the major threat is coming from Islamist terrorism. Darmanin fears a resurgence is coming with France hosting major international events in the coming two years.

As critical as I have been of Darmanin and the Macron government in general, it seems that the interior minister is waking up to the reality. I note that during his visit he met with Alejandro Mayorkas and Deputy AG Lisa Monaco. I can only wonder how Darmanin could light a fire under those two.

At least, Darmanin realizes (albeit belatedly) that the major threat to public safety is not any notion of “white supremacy”, or climate change, rather it is Islamist terrorism. Too bad our current administration cannot see that. Hopefully, Darmanin will succeed in ensuring close collaboration between our law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Domestically, it is hoped that France and the rest of Europe will attack the root of the problem which lies in its insane immigration, asylum, and judicial policies.

The below article from Le Figaro dated May 20, is translated by Fousesquawk.

https://www.lefigaro.fr/international/a-new-york-darmanin-s-alarme-d-une-reprise-en-europe-d-une-menace-terroriste-islamiste-20230520

In New York, Darmanin is alarmed over a “resumption” in Europe of an “Islamist terrorist” menace

By Le Figaro with Agence France Presse

Posted May 20, 2023 at 05:56, updated 8 hours ago.

Caption: The French Minister of Interior, Gerald Darmanin

The minister of interior has asked the American government to strengthen its anti-terrorist cooperation before the Paris Olympics in 2024.

The French Minister of Interior, Gerald Darmanin, on a visit to the US, expressed alarm Friday over a “resurgence” of the “Islamist terrorist ” menace in Europe and asked the American government to reinforce its anti-terrorist cooperation.

“We have come to remind them that for the Europeans and for France, the primary risk is Sunni Islamist terrorism and that anti-Terrorist collaboration between the intelligence services is absolutely indispensable,” Gerald Darmanin stressed during an interview with Agence France Presse in New York. And,” at a time when the Americans, perhaps, have a more national view of disputes-white supremacism, mass shootings, conspiracy, they must not forget that for us in Europe, the primary menace appears to be Sunni terrorism,” the French minister insisted.

Gerald Darmanin completed his 2-day trip to Wahington, New York, and the UN, after boosting police and legal cooperation between France and the US, provided for in a 2016 agreement for the fight against terrorism and major crimes. He met with Deputy Attorney General, Lisa Monaco and the Secretary of Homeland  Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, then visited the FBI Academy at Quantico, Virginia. In New York, he met with the NYPD Chief, Keechant Sewell, to discuss the maintenance of public order and security at major international events, citing the Olympic Games -2024 in Paris (26 July-11 August 2024)., the Rugby World Cup (8 September-28 October 2023) and the visit of Pope Francis to Marseille on 23 September.

“The threat resumes”

In this context, but without invoking precise dangers, Gerald Darmanin affirmed that, 
“the risk is resuming as to Islamist terrorism” which would again target France and its European neighbors. He pointed to “an internal danger of persons without networks who, becoming radicalized, go on to taking action within a few hours, a few days….  Someone who takes a knife, goes into a bakery, and kills people”. And “there is the external risk, people organized outside (of France), who come to France to carry out an attack like the one at Bataclan,” in Paris on 13 September 2015.

Gerald Darmanin also deplored the “departure of the Americans from Afghanistan,” and that of France from the “Sahelo-Saharan Strip,” the “reconstruction of Daesh cells (Islamic State group) in the Levant, who make up these external dangers within the perspective of large events that France is organizing (represent) moments of important risks of terrorist attacks.”