The terror attack took place in the northeastern French town of Arras, which is home to a large Jewish and Muslim population. The suspected attacker, Mohammed Moguchkov, allegedly cried the Arabic phrase "Allahu Akbar" during the attack. French President Emmanuel Macron himself has denounced the incident as an act of "Islamist terror." (Related: Macron visits school where French teacher was killed in KNIFE attack by "radical Islamist" on Global Day of Jihad.)
"This school was struck by the barbarity of Islamist terrorism," said Macron during a visit to the school, adding that the teacher who died "probably saved many lives" when he blocked Moguchkov.
Moguchkov, who is in his 20s, is a Muslim migrant of Chechen descent from the Russian North Caucasus region of Ingushetia. He was already on a French national register known as "Fiche S" and was recognized as a potential national security threat. Before the attack, he was already under electronic and physical surveillance by the French domestic intelligence agency, the DGSI.
Authorities have suggested a probable link to the ongoing violence between Israel and Palestine in the Gaza Strip and the terror attack. Counterterrorism authorities note that the investigation into the stabbing is ongoing. Several other suspects apart from Moguchkov are also in custody.
Additional soldiers will be deployed to protect parts of France more vulnerable to terror attacks
Macron ordered the deployment of 7,000 additional soldiers as part of Operation Sentinelle, a French military counterterrorism operation ongoing since the aftermath of the January 2015 terror attacks.
Operation Sentinelle currently operates with 10,000 soldiers and 4,700 police and gendarmes who are deployed around the country to protect parts of France deemed sensitive from terrorism. The 7,000 additional soldiers began deploying with Operation Sentinelle in the evening local time on Monday, Oct. 16.
The 7,000 troops will be deployed in addition to 3,500 police officers who will be sent to stadiums all over France to boost security during the ongoing Rugby World Cup.
Minister of the Interior Gerald Darmanin and Macron noted that some of the additional police and military will also be sent to 582 mostly Jewish religious and cultural facilities around France to protect them from possible Islamist terrorist attacks.
The country is currently under an "attack emergency" threat posture, allowing the French government in Paris to temporarily mobilize units within the military to protect public places and to institute a variety of other measures.
One of the prime beneficiaries of this increased security presence is the Gambetta-Carnot secondary school in Arras, which reopened following the attack with an increased police presence. The school reopened a day after the terrorist attack to provide support for schoolchildren and their parents.
"The choice has been made not to give in to terror," said Macron. "We must not let anything divide us, and we must remember that schools and the transmission of knowledge are at the heart of this fight against ignorance."
Watch this episode of "Evolutionary Energy Arts" as hosts Michael and Cindy Lazaro discuss, among other topics, France's decision to mobilize 7,000 more soldiers for extra patrols around the country.
This video is from the Evolutionary Energy Arts channel on Brighteon.com.
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