Ambassadors Roundtable Series- France Event Summary

As part of the Ambassador Roundtable Series on International Collaboration to Combat Terrorism and Insurgencies, The Homeland Security Policy Institute and the International Center for Terrorism Studies co-hosted French Ambassador Pierre Vimont on November 12, 2007.

France is no stranger to terrorism. Ambassador Vimont described the waves of terrorism France has experienced, from the 1960s Algerian war for independence, through the student-led terrorism of the 1970s, to the attacks following France’s intervention in Lebanon in the 1980s – to which can be added the violence of Basque, Corsican, and other separatist movements. France’s task now, the ambassador said, is to face the threat emanating from the current wave of global terrorism.

Ambassador Vimont listed three main components of that threat. First, France must face terrorists from North Africa, including the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), that threaten not only France itself, but also the thousands of tourists and other citizens who travel to Algeria and Morocco every year. Second, of concern are French citizens and residents who traveled to Iraq and Afghanistan, experienced combat and terrorist training, and have returned to France. Third, Ambassador Vimont warned of the threat of domestic radicalization – people in France, exposed to the “jihadist” message through the Internet and inspired to commit terrorism against France and its allies.

As a result of its long experience with terrorism, France has developed a range of anti-terrorism tools. To expedite investigations and prosecutions of terrorist conspiracies, for example, France has created special anti-terrorism judges with broad powers to initiate investigations, authorize interrogations and surveillance, detain suspects, and try terrorism cases. Ambassador Vimont believes these special judges allow France to respond to terrorist threats speedily without sacrificing human rights. The French government has also implemented extensive inter-agency cooperation against terrorism. The Ministries of the Interior and Defense are the lead agencies, but the resources of a range of ministries and police and intelligence agencies are coordinated by a system of inter-agency committees.

France has also pursued extensive international cooperation against terrorism. France, party to all UN Conventions on Terrorism, has worked closely with its EU partners to develop common arrest warrants and harmonized anti-terrorism laws. Despite public acrimony over Iraq, France and the US have pursued close and effective cooperation against terrorism. Since 2002, for example, France and the US have maintained a joint intelligence center in Paris that has contributed to the capture of a number of terrorist suspects. John E. McLaughlin, former acting CIA director, described the relationship between the CIA and its French equivalent as “one of the best in the world.”[1]

Against radicalization, France is pursuing a number of responses. Intolerance and incitement of racial hatred are opposed through tough penalties for any incitement to violence. Foreign clerics are rigorously screened to ensure that extremists are not permitted into the country to “preach.” France is also seeking ways to integrate Muslim immigrants into French society more thoroughly, both by promoting tolerance for religious diversity and by working to help immigrants find jobs. Identifying radicalization, which might take place unseen via the Internet, before it turns into violence is a difficult task; Ambassador Vimont believes that only cooperation between police and local citizens, including Muslim religious authorities, can produce the intelligence needed to thwart it. Though he said that no country in Europe had yet found the best solution, Ambassador Vimont believes that integration can be achieved by adhering to the values of the French Republic.

France is also working abroad to combat radicalization at home. The Ambassador identified instability overseas – including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the war in Chechnya – as contributing to domestic radicalization. In response, France has sought to further dialogue to help Muslim governments find ways to alleviate the conditions and pressures that help drive radical groups. The Mediterranean Union, proposed by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, offers one potential avenue for bringing the countries of North Africa and the Middle East into greater cooperation with the EU over security, the environment, and other issues.

The Ambassador Roundtable Series is designed to provide Ambassadors to the United States and their key diplomatic staff with a forum to discuss current and future counterterrorism and counterinsurgency efforts on a regional or country-specific basis. In an effort to draw upon various insights and experiences, the Ambassadors Roundtable Series builds upon and institutionalizes efforts over the past two years to engage in a dialogue with members of the international community, policy makers, and practitioners.

[1]Dana Priest, “Help From France Key In Covert Operations: Paris's ' Alliance Base' Targets Terrorists,” The Washington Post, 3 July 2005, p. A01.

For further inquries, please email hspi1@gwumc.edu with the subject Ambassadors Roundtable Series Inquiries