Macron says Islamists who hit Russia had tried to attack France

President Macron revealed that the group behind the deadly attack on a Moscow concert hall, killing 137, had previously attempted to strike France.

This Islamic State branch's actions prompted France to elevate its security alert to the maximum level, deploying additional soldiers to guard key locations, including schools.

The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the Moscow incident. Despite Russia hinting at Ukrainian involvement, Macron dismissed this as counterproductive, underscoring that the evidence pointed towards Islamic State's involvement.

The same group had attempted attacks on French soil in recent months, including a thwarted attempt in Strasbourg. This led to heightened security measures across France, with plans to deploy a substantial number of soldiers under the "Sentinelle" operation to patrol critical sites.

France, having foiled two attacks since the year's start, has experienced several Islamist attacks over the past decade, with the 2015 Bataclan concert hall massacre being particularly devastating. The mention of the Moscow attack reignited memories of the Bataclan tragedy among Parisians, reinforcing the need for increased security.

Macron, speaking from French Guiana, offered to boost intelligence cooperation with Russia following the attack. Meanwhile, Russian President Putin has not linked the attack to the Islamic State, instead suggesting the attackers were heading to Ukraine.

Ukraine denies any involvement, with President Zelenskiy accusing Putin of deflecting blame for Russia's security lapses.