France in mourning again as services held in memory of priest murdered by ISIS terrorists
MURDERED priest Father Jacques Hamel has been remembered at church services across France as the country comes to terms with another sickening attack by Islamist terrorists.
TRIBUTE: Mouners light candles and leave floral tributes for Father Jaques
French President Francois Hollande was joined by other senior political figures including Prime Minister Manuel Valls and former presidents Valery Giscard d'Estaing and Nicolas Sarkozy at a mass at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.
Memorial services have also taken place at the cathedral in Rouen and the Catholic church in nearby St-Etienne-Du-Rouvray where Father Jaques was slain by two attackers with links to ISIS as he led morning mass.
The men interrupted the service, forced the 85-year-old priest to his knees at the altar and slit his throat before running from the church shouting "Allahu akbar" and being shot dead by police.
Nun describes her escape from Rouen church ISIS attack in Normandy
TRIBUTE: Francois Hollande pays his respects at Notre-Dame Cathedral
All this violence and barbarism has paralysed the French left since January 2015. It has lost its bearings and is clinging to a mindset that is out of touch with reality
French President Francois Hollande was joined by other senior political figures including Prime Minister Manuel Valls and former presidents Valery Giscard d'Estaing and Nicolas Sarkozy at a mass at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.
Memorial services have also taken place at the cathedral in Rouen and the Catholic church in nearby St-Etienne-Du-Rouvray where Father Jaques was slain by two attackers with links to ISIS as he led morning mass.
The men interrupted the service, forced the 85-year-old priest to his knees at the altar and slit his throat before running from the church shouting "Allahu akbar" and being shot dead by police.
TRIBUTE: Mourners attend a memorial service at Rouen Cathedral
He called for the detention or electronic tagging of all suspected Islamist militants, even if they have committed no offence.
France's internal security service has confidential "S files" on some 10,500 suspected or would-be jihadists.
Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve rejected the proposal, saying that to jail them would be unconstitutional and counterproductive.
TRIBUTE: Rouen Cathedral holds a memorial service
He said: "What has enabled France to break up a large number of terrorist networks is keeping these people under 'S file' surveillance, which allows intelligence services to work without these individuals being aware."
Mr Cazeneuve later said summer festivals that do not meet tight security standards will be cancelled and announced a shift in the deployment of 10,000 soldiers already on the streets, saying more would now be sent to the provinces.