102 arrests recorded in France since October 7, “directly linked to anti-Semitic acts or acts of apology for terrorism”

The Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, announced on Monday October 16 that “102 arrests directly linked to anti-Semitic acts or those promoting terrorism, including 27 foreigners” have taken place in France since the Hamas attacks against Israel on October 7. SAccording to the minister, 237 reports on the Pharos online platform were sent to the courts. The Minister of the Interior also added that “6,500 people, in 2022, are under intelligence technique”. He further stated that “43 attacks have been foiled since 2017.”

“This morning again, the DGSI [Direction générale de la sécurité intérieure] carried out two arrests, one in the east of France, the other in the south-west of France.clarified Gérald Darmanin after a Security Council organized at the Elysée “to take stock of the terrorist threat”, three days after the attack in a high school in Arras (Pas-de-Calais). Of the two arrests, one arrested was taken into police custody after the discovery of a weapon and “propaganda elements” at his home, Franceinfo learned from a source close to the matter. The other arrested, who had already been sentenced for “provocation to an act of terrorism”was taken into custody this morning for “online apology”, according to the same source. Investigations continue in both cases.

Gérald Darmanin also specified that “20,120 people are registered with the FSPRT” [le fichier de traitement des signalements pour la prévention de la radicalisation à caractère terroriste]. Of these more than 20,000 people, “there are 1,411 foreigners in an irregular situation”but “only 489 of them are on national territory”, he added. The others were expelled or were registered in the FSPRT “to prevent them from entering the national territory”.