On the sidelines of the passage of the Olympic flame in Gironde, the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin announced this Friday, May 24, 2024, in a press release, that two individuals “particularly monitored” And “from the Islamist movement” were arrested. They allegedly “violated” a surveillance measure to which they were subject.
In custody
“Two individuals under close surveillance by the police were arrested while trying to go to a prohibited area due to the MICAS (Individual measure of administrative control and surveillance) taken against them”we can read in the press release.
The first individual, aged 33, was sentenced last January for publicly advocating terrorism. The second, aged 23, was known to the intelligence services for repeated pro-jihadist comments in public, and had also been sentenced to a prison sentence in October 2022, according to the minister.
The two men were “quickly arrested” and taken into custody “in order to be presented to justice”.
Strengthened surveillance measures
On the sidelines of the Olympic Games, the minister recalls that surveillance measures have been strengthened ” in a significative way “ concerning people followed by the intelligence services, referring in particular to home visits or individual measures of administrative control and surveillance (Micas), “which have been multiplied by two”.
This system was put in place as part of the fight against terrorism. When a person is the subject of a Micas, they are often forced to stay in a geographical area (most often their municipality) and to “report”, often daily, to the police. This measure is decided not by a judge, but by the Ministry of the Interior against an individual whose “the behavior constitutes a particularly serious threat to public security and order”. It is valid for one year, but must be renewed every three months.
Since the start of the Olympic torch relay, the number of these Micas delivered by the prefects has “significantly increased”underlines the press release, specifying that “77 are in progress today”.
“Restrictive measures will continue to be strengthened as the Games approach”concludes the minister.
