French defence minister commends Sentinelle soldiers on arresting Eiffel Tower attacker
Record ID:
905560
French defence minister commends Sentinelle soldiers on arresting Eiffel Tower attacker
- Title: French defence minister commends Sentinelle soldiers on arresting Eiffel Tower attacker
- Date: 7th August 2017
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (AUGUST 7, 2017) (REUTERS) FRENCH MINISTER OF ARMED FORCES FLORENCE PARLY ARRIVING AND GREETING ARMY OFFICIALS SENTINELLE PATROL AREAS SEEN ON MAP VARIOUS OF PARLY LISTENING TO PRESENTATION OF SENTINELLE PATROLS PARLY PATROLLING WITH SENTINELLE SOLDIERS MAN SUNBATHING NEAR CANAL PARLY PATROLLING WITH SENTINELLE SOLDIERS (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH MINISTER OF ARMED FORCES, FLORENCE PARLY, SAYING: "There have been terrorist attack attempts in Paris a few months ago, at the Louvre, at Orly (airport), each time Sentinelle soldiers foiled these attacks. In this case (Eiffel Tower attacker), it's a threat of which we don't exactly yet know the nature, but what is important to realise is that the soldiers were in the right place and contributed to the arrest of the person in question." SENTINELLE SOLDIER STANDING GUARD IN STREET (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH MINISTER OF ARMED FORCES FLORENCE PARLY SAYING: "They (Sentinelle soldiers) are like shields, above all else, because each time, like I have just said, they were able to foil the attempts of an attack - or otherwise - that was in preparation." POLICE PATROLLING ALONG 'PARIS PLAGE' SET-UP VARIOUS OF PEOPLE IN BOATS ON CANAL
- Embargoed: 21st August 2017 15:46
- Keywords: Florence Parly Sentinelle army soldiers France Paris Eiffel Tower
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Defence,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016T5S01Z
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The French Minister of Armed Forces Florence Parly commended the soldiers of the country's anti-terrorist security operation, "Operation Sentinelle" on Monday (August 7) for their role in arresting a knife-wielding man who tried to force his way in to the Eiffel Tower in Paris on Saturday night.
The incident at the world-famous tourist landmark was designated a terrorism case because of the suspect's statements to police, in which he said he wanted to attack a soldier, and his apparent radicalisation, a judicial source said.
Operation Sentinelle is the government's stepped-up security response to the January 2015 Islamist attack on the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo which killed 12 people. The operation was reinforced after the November 2015 attacks in Paris.
Some 3,500 Sentinelle soldiers patrol the streets of Paris in groups and have become a common sight in the capital since a state of emergency was declared in November 2015 following bomb and shooting attacks by Islamist militants in which 130 people were killed in and around Paris. The troops mainly monitor for suspicious behaviour, abandoned packages and oddly parked vehicles. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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