Spotlight: French gov't plans to deploy additional security forces to preserve "maximum" safety

One day after a church attack in which an elderly priest was assassinated, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve announced on Wednesday the deployment of 23,500 members of security forces to secure safety in summer holiday.

"This summer, we have 56 events to secure across territory. 23,500 police, gendarme, military and reservists will be deployed to ensure the good course of these events," Cazeneuve said.

The minister called on prefects to talk with mayors of concerned cities to evaluate security situation in order to implement adequate measures to avoid any possible incidents.

In a short joint press meeting, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian pledged "greater distribution of sentinelle forces in provinces," with 6,000 planned to be sent to towns while 4,000 in the capital to ensure "the maximum security of our country," he said.

The defense minister also said French warplanes would intensify strikes against insurgents in Iraq and Syria by using more fighter jets from Jordan's and Saudi Arabia's military bases.

On July 14, a 31-year-old delivery man drove his heavy truck into crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, south France, despite intensified security amid high terror risks. He killed 84 people and injured hundreds of others.

On Tuesday, a 19-year-old man, known to intelligence services and wearing an electronic tag allowing police to trace him, killed with another attacker a priest in a church, northern France.

The successive assaults claimed by the Islamic State (IS) fuelled critics over the government's security record.

"All this violence and barbarism has paralyzed the French left since January 2015. It has lost its bearings and is clinging to a mindset that is out of touch with reality," former French President Nicolas Sarkozy told the daily Le Monde.

Sarkozy who looks to compete in the right camp's primary to cruise to the 2017 presidential election, proposed electronic tagging of all suspected militants, even if they have committed no offense.

He also suggested to remand all those indicted for terrorism acts in custody while pending trails.

In the wake of the church attack, President Francois Hollande insisted that the government will be determined to apply the anti-terrorist laws while respecting rights and freedom.

"In the face of this threat that has never been greater in France and Europe, the government is absolutely determined (to fight) terrorism," he said.

Last week, French lawmakers approved to extend the period of emergency rules to late January 2017 which allow more power to police to search homes and arrest suspects without judicial warrant. It also permit them to dig freely their phones and computers. Endit