In Paris, waterworks site security has been raised amid fears that terrorists from the so-called Islamic State group are planning a chemical attack on the city’s water supply. Following reports that chemical equipment and protective bio-hazard clothing were stolen from a hospital facility in Paris, the French gendarmes were called to secure the perimeter fencing around the works.
Chemical or biological attacks likely:
There is no doubt that Isis extremists have become increasingly industrious over recent months, becoming hugely social-media savvy and looking for new ways to inflict terror on the West. As a result, the French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has asked security services to prepare for a chemical or biological attack, which, he says, is increasingly likely. As a precautionary measure, scientists in Paris have been thoroughly testing the water supply, which is drunk by over three million people. Eau de Paris, the company that owns the water supply, has also raised chlorine levels in the water, limiting the risk of any contaminants entering the flow.
Security stepped up:
Access to the main Eau de Paris waterworks has been greatly stepped up with high-security teams already in place. In addition, the waterworks site security team are in constant contact with the police terrorism branch. Special sensors are fitted to each security gate, which can connect straight to central police services if a breach is caught. A team of gendarmes would then be sent on-site immediately. This system also allows areas of the water network to be isolated while testing is carried out, meaning that the supply to the people of Paris is not disrupted.
Vigilance urged:
In the wake of the Paris terror attacks, politicians and security chiefs urge people to remain vigilant. UK-based military analyst Andrew Brooks explains that since the Tokyo underground anthrax attack in 1995, the threat of biochemical strikes remains a threat. The sophisticated, innovative nature of the way ISIS plan their attacks means it cannot be ruled out. In the meantime, the French authorities are taking every precaution to avoid this kind of risk.
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