Pave: France, Terror Target XIV

Le jour 242 de Sarko

FRANCE IN "PERMANENT STATE OF ALERT," KOUCHNER SAYS

PARIS January 11, 2008 (M&C/DPA) - As French anti-terrorist investigators look into a threat against Paris and its mayor, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said the country was in 'a permanent state of alert against terrorism.'

It is necessary 'to weaken international terrorism, which we know is stirring,' particularly in North Africa, Kouchner told Europe 1 radio.

Terrorists don't need to make good on their threats. Every threat is a small victory because it forces the target to raise an alarm, expend its resources, exhaust its vigilance. It only takes laxity after the umpty-ninth threat for the terrorist's success on the umpty-tenth.

MILITANT THREAT ON EIFFEL TOWER SAID INTERCEPTED

For starters, Reuters can stop headlining terrorist threats as "militant".

Consider this, if the newspapers were to start calling, say, "rape" something like a "relational imposition", well, we would soon think very differently about rape. We might still have an idea what "rape" meant, but we would simply cease to recognize it in the news. Reuters doesn't want you to recognize terrorists or terrorism or terror because -- far from any principle of reportorial neutrality -- Reuters thinks terrorists and terrorism and terror are legitimate social agents and forces.

LISBON January 11, 2008 (Reuters) - Portuguese air traffic authorities have intercepted a message describing a militant threat against the Eiffel Tower and have passed it to French authorities, a Portuguese source said on Friday.

... Paris police referred inquiries to the Eiffel Tower where nobody was immediately available for comment.

... "We've been at red for several months. It's the highest level before scarlet alert which is implemented when there are attacks," the local police headquarters told [Le Monde].

A SEA OF BLOOD
They Hate You. They Will Kill You.

Several apparent threats against Paris and prominent personalities have also been identified on an Islamist website and are being taken seriously following the murder of four French tourists in Mauretania last month, French media said.

PFFT (What is this?): Jamais deux sans trois 3 | Nothing more to be done 2½ | Rayonnement français 2½