Emmanuel Macron says he is ‘determined’ to fight terrorism after Manchester attack
FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron said he was more determined than ever to fight terrorism after the suicide blast at the Manchester Arena.
Macron signs book of condolences at UK Embassy after attack
Salman Ramadan Adebi murdered at least 22 people – including an eight-year-old girl – when he blew himself up at the end of an Ariana Grande concert.
Islamic State (ISIS) have since claimed responsibility for the attack on Monday night.
Emmanuel Macron said he was more determined than ever to fight terrorism after the Manchester blast
Mr Macron and senior French ministers walked to the British embassy in Paris on Tuesday to sign the condolence book.
They also reaffirmed France’s unwavering solidarity with Britain in the wake of the attack.
Salman Ramadan Adebi murdered 22 people when he blew himself up at the Ariana Grande concert
Mr Macron and senior French ministers signed the condolence book at the British embassy in Paris
The suicide blast bears similarities to ISIS’s attack on the Bataclan concert hall in November 2015, which claimed the lives of 90 concertgoers and left hundreds more injured.
Young European and British people have been attacked in their hearts
In the condolence book, Mr Macron wrote: “Our terrorist enemies have struck again. We are more united and determined than ever in facing them.”
He also told the British ambassador: “Free Europe has come under attack. Young European and British people have been attacked in their hearts… Terrorists have one target: the free world and youth.”
Mr Macron also revealed that he had told Theresa May during a phone call on Tuesday morning that he had mobilised all means of cooperation to help Britain, before calling for stronger European cooperation to fight terrorism and increased coordination between European intelligence services.
France’s newly elected president added that he would be chairing a “defence cabinet” of senior ministers on Wednesday to work on setting up a task force dedicated to fighting ISIS.