French police and intelligence services are intensifying efforts to counter potential terrorist threats from ISIS-K militants ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics. The heightened security measures follow recent foiled plots and the rise in ISIS-K propaganda urging attacks on Olympic venues. Authorities are particularly concerned about the influence of Tajik militants, as several recent attacks in Europe have involved individuals from this Central Asian community.
In March, Islamic State militants from Tajikistan allegedly carried out a massacre in Moscow, prompting French police to question Tajik journalist Temur Varki about his knowledge of Tajik immigrants in France. Varki, a political refugee, reported minimal contact with Tajik communities, mainly dissidents and fellow émigrés, and no ties to jihadists.
France has a significant Muslim population, estimated at 5.7 million, making it a prime target for Islamist extremists. Recent ISIS-K propaganda has specifically called for attacks on the Paris Olympics, raising fears of high-casualty incidents. The French government has mobilized 45,000 security personnel and requested anti-air systems from Greece to bolster defenses against drone threats.
The memory of past terror attacks, including the 2015 Charlie Hebdo and Bataclan theater assaults, haunts Paris. The urgency to prevent a repeat during the Olympics has led to increased intelligence activities focusing on Tajik and other Central Asian migrants. This community, although small and tight-knit, is seen as a vulnerable target for ISIS-K recruiters.
France’s intelligence services have faced challenges in penetrating Central Asian networks, partly due to reduced cooperation with Russian intelligence since the Ukraine invasion. Despite these hurdles, French authorities have successfully intercepted multiple plots this year, including a planned suicide bombing at Saint-Étienne’s soccer stadium.
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