Country Report on Terrorism 2024 - Chapter 1 - France

Country Overview:  France is at its highest threat level, “Emergency Attack,” which it has maintained since just before the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.  Security services remained concerned about “Islamist terrorism” and “ultra” groups and consider endogenous attacks by lone actors and small cells as the most significant threat.  France remains concerned about the threat posed by geopolitical events in the Middle East.  It also faces a complicated illegal migration challenge, with some third-country host nations refusing to accept expelled/deported citizens who have committed violent crimes in France.  The National Liberation Front of Corsica continued to pose a terrorist threat.

France maintained 7,000 military personnel throughout the country to patrol vulnerable sites under Operation Sentinelle, with another 3,000 reservists deployable as needed.  France routinely cooperates with the United States on counterterrorism and law-enforcement information sharing, traveler screening, and border security.  In December, France hosted an international meeting on combating Hamas that focused on preventing the group’s online terrorist content and financing.

2024 Terrorism Trends:  French law enforcement and intelligence agencies thwarted nine terrorist attacks in 2024, including three targeting the Olympic and Paralympic Games.