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French Inquiry Identifies Failures Leading Up to 2015 Terrorist Attacks French Inquiry Urges Changes to Intelligence Services in Light of Failures
(about 1 hour later)
PARIS — A parliamentary inquiry has identified multiple failures by the French intelligence services before the two devastating terrorist attacks that struck the country in 2015, lawmakers said on Tuesday. PARIS — A parliamentary inquiry in France has urged the authorities to overhaul the intelligence services by creating a unified structure, after identifying multiple failures before the two devastating terrorist attacks that struck the country in 2015, lawmakers said on Tuesday.
At a news conference in Paris, the lawmakers who took part in the inquiry urged the French authorities to overhaul the organization of its intelligence services by replacing the overlapping and sometimes competing agencies with a unified structure that could share intelligence more efficiently. At a news conference in Paris, the lawmakers who took part in the inquiry called on the French authorities to replace the overlapping and sometimes competing agencies. The committee that conducted the inquiry laid out 40 proposals to address the failures, including the merging of several French intelligence services and the creation of a shared antiterrorism database.
The inquiry was prompted largely by attacks on the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and elsewhere in the Paris area in January that left 17 people dead, and by a coordinated series of assaults in and around the city in November in which Islamic State militants killed 130 people.The inquiry was prompted largely by attacks on the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and elsewhere in the Paris area in January that left 17 people dead, and by a coordinated series of assaults in and around the city in November in which Islamic State militants killed 130 people.
“Today we don’t measure up to those who are attacking us,” said Georges Fenech, a center-right lawmaker who presided over the inquiry.“Today we don’t measure up to those who are attacking us,” said Georges Fenech, a center-right lawmaker who presided over the inquiry.
The lawmakers also called for better intelligence sharing between European countries, pointing to several instances in which perpetrators of the Nov. 13 attacks were able to escape because information was not adequately shared between countries.The lawmakers also called for better intelligence sharing between European countries, pointing to several instances in which perpetrators of the Nov. 13 attacks were able to escape because information was not adequately shared between countries.
Many of the attackers were known to the French or Belgian authorities because they had criminal records or had previously been identified as showing signs of radicalization. Some had even been under surveillance.Many of the attackers were known to the French or Belgian authorities because they had criminal records or had previously been identified as showing signs of radicalization. Some had even been under surveillance.
The committee laid out 40 proposals to address the failures, including the merging of several French intelligence services and the creation of a shared antiterrorism database.
Mr. Fenech also said that France needed to create a structure comparable to the National Counterterrorism Center in the United States, one of the countries the committee visited during its inquiry.Mr. Fenech also said that France needed to create a structure comparable to the National Counterterrorism Center in the United States, one of the countries the committee visited during its inquiry.
The parliamentary fact-finding committee was set up in January by the National Assembly, the lower house of the French Parliament, to look into the government’s response to terrorist attacks in 2015 and to investigate possible security failures.The parliamentary fact-finding committee was set up in January by the National Assembly, the lower house of the French Parliament, to look into the government’s response to terrorist attacks in 2015 and to investigate possible security failures.
In January of last year, two gunmen stormed the offices of the Charlie Hebdo in Paris, killing 12 people; a third gunman killed a police officer and, separately, four hostages at a kosher supermarket in the French capital in the days that followed.In January of last year, two gunmen stormed the offices of the Charlie Hebdo in Paris, killing 12 people; a third gunman killed a police officer and, separately, four hostages at a kosher supermarket in the French capital in the days that followed.
In November, militants staged coordinated gun and suicide bombing attacks near the Stade de France soccer stadium in the St.-Denis suburb of Paris; at restaurants and at cafes in the 10th and 11th Arrondissements of the capital; and at the Bataclan concert hall, killing 130 and wounding more than 400.In November, militants staged coordinated gun and suicide bombing attacks near the Stade de France soccer stadium in the St.-Denis suburb of Paris; at restaurants and at cafes in the 10th and 11th Arrondissements of the capital; and at the Bataclan concert hall, killing 130 and wounding more than 400.
Salah Abdeslam, thought to be the only direct participant in the November attacks to have survived, was arrested in Belgium in March and extradited to France in April, but he has so far refused to answer the questions of French investigative judges. He is suspected of playing an important role in the logistical planning of the plot, but his role on the night of the attacks is less clear.Salah Abdeslam, thought to be the only direct participant in the November attacks to have survived, was arrested in Belgium in March and extradited to France in April, but he has so far refused to answer the questions of French investigative judges. He is suspected of playing an important role in the logistical planning of the plot, but his role on the night of the attacks is less clear.
Mr. Abdeslam, a French citizen of Moroccan ancestry who lived in Belgium, eluded capture for four months after the attacks, thanks in part to a network of friends and acquaintances that helped him return to Brussels and hide from the authorities. One of those acquaintances, Hamza Attou, was extradited to France in June. Mr. Attou and another man picked up Mr. Abdeslam in Paris on the night of the attacks and drove him back to Belgium.Mr. Abdeslam, a French citizen of Moroccan ancestry who lived in Belgium, eluded capture for four months after the attacks, thanks in part to a network of friends and acquaintances that helped him return to Brussels and hide from the authorities. One of those acquaintances, Hamza Attou, was extradited to France in June. Mr. Attou and another man picked up Mr. Abdeslam in Paris on the night of the attacks and drove him back to Belgium.
Several other men suspected of being involved in the logistics of the attacks or of helping Mr. Abdeslam escape are set to be extradited to France, including Mohamed Abrini, a childhood friend of Mr. Abdeslam’s who was also the third bomber in the airport attack in Brussels on March 22.Several other men suspected of being involved in the logistics of the attacks or of helping Mr. Abdeslam escape are set to be extradited to France, including Mohamed Abrini, a childhood friend of Mr. Abdeslam’s who was also the third bomber in the airport attack in Brussels on March 22.
The 30-member committee, which mainly included lawmakers from the mainstream center-right and Socialist parties, interviewed hundreds of people, including ministers, families of victims of the attacks, police officers, intelligence officials and emergency medical workers. Members of the committee also traveled to Belgium, Greece and Turkey to discuss intelligence-sharing.The 30-member committee, which mainly included lawmakers from the mainstream center-right and Socialist parties, interviewed hundreds of people, including ministers, families of victims of the attacks, police officers, intelligence officials and emergency medical workers. Members of the committee also traveled to Belgium, Greece and Turkey to discuss intelligence-sharing.
The committee is expected to publish a full report on July 12.The committee is expected to publish a full report on July 12.
France is still under the state of emergency that President François Hollande declared after the November attacks, and it has already enacted measures that increase the powers of police and intelligence services.France is still under the state of emergency that President François Hollande declared after the November attacks, and it has already enacted measures that increase the powers of police and intelligence services.
The authorities have also tightened security at two major sport events this summer: the Tour de France, which started on Saturday, and the European Championship soccer tournament, which ends on Sunday.The authorities have also tightened security at two major sport events this summer: the Tour de France, which started on Saturday, and the European Championship soccer tournament, which ends on Sunday.
France’s intelligence services say that the country is still at risk of Islamic State attacks. In June, a man who had declared allegiance to the group stabbed and killed a police officer and his companion in a small town 35 miles northwest of Paris.France’s intelligence services say that the country is still at risk of Islamic State attacks. In June, a man who had declared allegiance to the group stabbed and killed a police officer and his companion in a small town 35 miles northwest of Paris.