Islamic State

French investigators identify 'coordinator' of 2015 Paris attacks

International — Link

Syria-based Oussama Atar, 32, believed to be a member of the Islamic State group, was already a suspect in the March 22nd attacks on Brussels in which his brothers participated as suicide bombers, but has now been named as the coordinator for the November 13th atrocities in Paris last year which left 130 people dead.

French teenager convicted for naming Wi-Fi network after IS

France — Link

Neighbours in Dijon had alerted police after noticing a Wi-Fi network with name 'Daesh 21' - Daesh is the Arabic acronym for Islamic State.

Pope sets French priest murdered by IS on path to sainthood

France — Link

Archbishop of Rouen reveals that Pope Francis has waived the usual five-year delay before sainthood process for Father Hamel can begin.

French church where priest was murdered reopens

France — Link

Parishioners gathered for ceremony reopening church in northern France where Father Hamel was killed by teenage jihadists two months ago.

Paris gas canister car: arrested women 'directed by IS in Syria'

France — Link

Paris prosecutor François Molins, who said a terror cell had been dismantled, said it showed Islamic State 'wants to create female fighters'.

Bulgaria to extradite relative of Charlie Hebdo attacker to France

International — Link

Mourad Hamyd, the French brother-in-law of gunman Chérif Kouachi, was arrested in Bulgaria last month suspected of attempting to join Islamic State group.

French girl, 16, held over alleged support for Islamic State

France — Link

According to Paris prosecutor’s office the 'extremely radicalised' girl was using a social media app to spread calls by IS to commit violent acts.

Church aassailant spoke of 'knife carnage' weeks before attack

France — Link

Adel Kermiche, 19, used encrypted messaging service Telegram to tell fellow jihadists 'You take a knife, you go to a church, you make carnage'.

French religious leaders urge unity after Islamist attack on church

France — Link

After meeting with President François Hollande, France's religious leaders called for solidarity in face of what Paris mosque rector called 'blasphemous sacrilege'.

Priest murdered in Normandy church attack claimed by Islamic State: update

France

A priest was murdered and one of his parishioners left in a critical condition by two knife-wielding men acting in the name of Islamic State group (IS) who attacked a Normandy church during a celebration of Mass on Tuesday morning. IS later claimed responsibility. The assailants, who had cut the 85-year-old priest’s throat in front of a small group of nuns and worshipers, and who attempted to cut the throat of a parishioner, were shot dead by police as they came out of the church in what is believed to be the first attack on a Catholic place of worship in Europe by Islamic extremists. Paris public prosecutor François Molins provided further details about the attack on Tuesday evening. Graham Tearse reports.

French interior minister backtracks on Nice attacker profile

France — Link

Bernard Cazeneuve, who on Friday sounded cautious note on jihadist motive for attack, said on Saturday that killer must have been 'radicalised very rapidly'.

Fears after Nice massacre of more loner attacks

France — Link

After IS claim role in Nice truck attack, the BBC's Paris correspondent points to new danger of 'neighbourhood' loners who fall prey to jihadist propaganda. 

Islamic State claims Bastille Day attack, five arrests made

France — Link

The jihadist group claimed Tunisian who drove truck into crowd in Nice had followed its calls for such attacks; five people now in custody over the massacre.

France Islamic State trial: seven jailed for training in Syria

France — Link

Belgium has also extradited to France Mohamed Amri and Ali Oulkadi, accused of having helped Salah Abdeslam in November Paris attacks.

Belgium warns France of Islamic State gang en route for Europe

International — Link

Belgian police alerted French colleagues that Islamic State jihadists have left Syria with a set of targets to attack in Belgium and France.