Macron: Russian terrorist group once targeted France

President Macron said France concluded that IS was responsible for the theater attack in Russia and that the terrorist group had targeted France several times.

France received intelligence that "an entity belonging to the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) organization planned and carried out the attack," French President Emmanuel Macron said on March 25, referring to the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall theater in the suburbs of Moscow, Russia, on the evening of March 22.

"This same group has tried to carry out several attacks on our territory," he added, without mentioning when.

A day earlier, French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal announced raising the terror alert to the highest level, in response to "the threat weighing on the country".

IS has claimed responsibility for several attacks in France, including the 2015 massacre at the Bataclan concert hall in Paris, which killed 130 people.

Mr. Macron at a press conference in Paris, France on February 26. Photo: Reuters — Mr. Macron at a press conference in Paris, France on February 26. Photo: *Reuters*

Mr Macron said France had offered to step up counter-terrorism cooperation with Russian security services and the two sides would be in contact at "ministerial and technical level". The French president will not hold direct talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

The two leaders have not spoken since a series of phone calls in 2022, when Mr Macron sought to persuade Mr Putin not to launch an operation in Ukraine.

“We will see how the situation changes in the coming days or weeks and whether there is enough time” to have a personal conversation, Mr Macron said.

President Macron also warned Russia not to “exploit” the terrorist incident in any way. “If Russia uses it as a pretext to act against Ukraine, it will be suspicious and counterproductive,” he said.

ISIS-K, the Afghan branch of IS, has claimed responsibility for the attack on Crocus City Hall, which killed at least 137 people, posting photos and videos showing four members of the group opening fire on civilians. IS said the attack was part of its fight against "those who oppress Islam".

However, Russia has not commented on the role of IS in the terrorist attack. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on March 23 that the four suspects tried to flee to the Ukrainian border after committing the crime, adding that some people on the Ukrainian side had prepared an escape route for the gunmen, but did not provide evidence.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on March 24 rejected President Putin's accusations, saying that Russia was trying to blame Ukraine. Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Mr. Zelensky, said that Mr. Putin's information was unreasonable, because the Russia-Ukraine border area was dense with mines, security personnel and Russian soldiers, so the group of suspects could not cross.

US Vice President Kamala Harris also affirmed on March 24 that Ukraine was not involved in the attack and that ISIS-K was the culprit.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry consolidated Maria Zakharova said today that the US is using IS as a cover for Ukraine, noting that Washington supported "mujahideen" fighters against Soviet forces in Afghanistan in the 1980s.

Pham Giang (According to AFP, Reuters )

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