Threat Thwarted?

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In the wake of the July 7 attacks in London, Europe's governments continue to sweep their communities for potential terrorists. Last week, French police raids in suburban Paris and the city of Evreux in Normandy bagged nine alleged extremists linked to Algeria's terrorist Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC). And while nearly everyone in France agrees the threat is serious, there are quibbles about how imminent it is. Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy proclaimed that the risk of an attack "is at a very high level."

Some see in that remark political opportunism, or at least exaggeration. "The threat is real and constant, but it has not grown significantly higher of late," remarks one French counterterrorism official. "There was a little bit of grandstanding in some of his comments."

Still, there is reason for concern. An offshoot of Algeria's ultraviolent Armed Islamic Group, the GSPC had largely waged jihad at home against the Algiers regime, but now appears set on taking its terrorism abroad, officials say. Confidential French intelligence reports reviewed by Time confirm the GSPC has decided within the last six months to internationalize its fight by linking with al-Qaeda-associated groups, and sees France as its primary target.

While the GSPC-linked group arrested last week did "have a project to prepare strikes in France," the counterterrorism official notes, it had yet to "determine targets or method of attack, and wasn't operational. Indeed, our strategy is to get cells before it gets that dramatic."