French Prime Minister Warns of Chemical Attack Threat

Manuel Valls, the Prime Minister of France, warned on Thursday about the possibility of a chemical or biological attack in the country. This is the second time this week that the French Prime Minister has mentioned the occurrence of something worse than the attacks on Friday night in Paris. On Monday, he had warned of the possibility of new attacks in other European countries. Last Friday, Paris witnessed six simultaneous terrorist attacks that left 129 dead and dozens injured. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for these attacks. According to AFP, Mr. Valls said on Thursday, November 19, that his country must be prepared to deal with any situation, including the risk of 'the use of chemical or biological weapons.' The Prime Minister made these remarks during a session of the French Parliament convened to discuss the extension of the state of emergency in France. Manuel Valls also called for cooperation among all EU members in sharing information regarding airline passengers. Meanwhile, according to the head of the EU police, the recent attacks in Paris have raised the security threat level across the entire Union. In France, the police announced an unprecedented measure allowing their personnel to carry weapons even when off duty. Belgian police also conducted six operations on Thursday aimed at investigating locations where family, friends, and other individuals related to 'Bilal Hadfi' live. Bilal Hadfi was one of the attackers who detonated himself near the 'Stade de France' sports stadium during the Paris attacks. He was French, lived in Belgium, and had spent some time in Syria. In related news, CNN reported emergency landings of two Air France planes from the U.S. and the evacuation of a terminal at Copenhagen Airport following the discovery of a suspicious suitcase. The Islamic State executed a Chinese citizen and a Norwegian. 'Islamism is the greatest security challenge of the 21st century.'