France urges cooperation on tackling encrypted apps used by extremists

France urged an international initiative to thwart encrypted messaging services used by extremists, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said on Thursday.

"We are at an extremely high terrorism alert. We stress the seriousness of the challenge where encrypted communication is used by terrorists," Cazeneuve noted after a security council held at the Elysee Palace.

"It's a key issue in the fight against terrorism. Many of the messages exchanged to make terrorist attacks are now via encrypted means," he added.

Cazeneuve will meet his German counterpart Thomas de Maiziere on Aug. 23 to work on a European and international solution "because it is not only one country that can take such an initiative."

Earlier this week, French anti-terrorism police arrested a radicalized 16-year-old girl who was the administrator of a chat group on the encrypted messaging service Telegram. She posted numerous propaganda messages from the Islamic State, calling for more attacks on French soil.

On July 26, Adel Kermiche and Abdel Malik Petitjean, killed an elderly priest in a church in northern France. Investigation showed the two teenagers had met via Telegram a few days before the attack, which was claimed by the Islamic State. Endit