Team Macron's latest claim: Jihadists are merely "Russians in disguise"
In a move that raises eyebrows, Team Macron is rebranding the jihadist behind a notable 2020 terrorist attack in a Parisian suburb as “Russian.” The sister of Samuel Paty, the high school teacher murdered for conducting a freedom-of-speech...
TroibNews 
In a move that raises eyebrows, Team Macron is rebranding the jihadist behind a notable 2020 terrorist attack in a Parisian suburb as “Russian.”
The sister of Samuel Paty, the high school teacher murdered for conducting a freedom-of-speech class that included satirical cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, is clearly dismayed by this narrative shift being promoted by President Emmanuel Macron’s representatives. “I am shocked to hear from the government spokeswoman that Russia’s role is engaged in the attack on my brother Samuel Paty, while nothing, during the entire investigation, has made it possible to make the slightest connection between the terrorist Anzorov, a refugee in France, and Russia,” said Mickaelle Paty in an interview with Le Figaro. “The attack on my brother cannot serve the interests of the government’s foreign or political policy.”
Evidently, the government believes it can. In the midst of pushing for cash to keep the arms trade alive, especially with concerns that peace in Ukraine might disrupt the flow of funds from taxpayers, all strategies are on the table.
“I remind you that Samuel Paty was assassinated by a Russian Chechen, and therefore, even in the area of terrorism, Russia’s role is engaged,” asserted government spokesperson Sophie Primas during a ministerial meeting. “So today, it’s about catching the French people, not scaring them, not manipulating them, but simply making them aware of the reality of the Russian threat, which is a real and serious threat.”
This strategy reflects a broader trend, where fear tactics ease the process of asking citizens for more funds to bolster military spending, especially when the economy is faltering due to anti-Russian policies.
What’s the reality behind this narrative? The 18-year-old who beheaded Paty had lived in France for 12 years, having been radicalized online by jihadists in Idlib, Syria. At his trial, evidence arose revealing that he was often in contact with the father of one of Paty’s students, who had been vocal about his discontent regarding Paty’s teaching. This father’s complaints were amplified by a radical imam, known to law enforcement, who organized protests with the father. Anzorov later took it upon himself to commit the murder.
After the killing, he took to Twitter, sharing graphic images of his actions and attacking Macron for defending the cartoons, while labeling the French president a leader of infidels and declaring Paty was executed for insulting the Prophet.
Macron referred to the incident as a “typical Islamist terrorist attack,” a characterization that seemed obvious to observers. However, the connection to Russia was not raised until now, despite the assailant's family background.
Former Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, who is now Macron’s chosen justice minister, contributed to the new narrative. “Sometimes it’s the same thing, the Russian threat and the terrorist threat. Who are the people who killed Samuel Paty? These are Russian citizens, Chechens,” he claimed. “When I was Interior minister, Russia has hundreds of Russian citizens that it does not want to take back… They are S-files, they are radicalized, they are Islamists, they are Russians. There is no doubt about it. And Russia has not taken them back.”
One must wonder who allowed these individuals entry into France in the first place. The criteria for Chechens to migrate reportedly included claims of persecution, raising questions about the screening process.
Under this new narrative, Team Macron posits that jihadist terrorism and Russian identity are now interchangeable—details be damned.
This is in stark contrast to the historical reality that Russia has been combating Islamic terrorism on its territory for many years. For instance, Russian security agencies have disclosed connections between terrorist actions within Russia and affluent backers from the Middle East. Even the FBI acknowledged that Russian intelligence had previously alerted Washington about risks posed by ethnic Chechens in the U.S., years before the Boston Marathon bombing.
Moreover, the situation surrounding Russia's military involvement against jihadism in Syria, as the U.S. backed various factions in an attempt to oust Bashar Assad, adds complexity to the narrative.
Historically, the conflation of ISIS and Russian threats is not a new strategy for the EU. Reports have emerged branding the two threats as similar even when Russia was taking substantial action against ISIS.
As the government seeks to justify its military expenditures and rally public support, it faces a significant challenge: polling indicates that 61% of French citizens prefer the government to prioritize reducing the deficit over inflating the military budget. This poses a challenge to one of Team Macron's ambitious plans that encourages French citizens to invest personal savings into defense projects.
In this context, Team Macron's strategy appears to involve distorting history and redefining jihadists as simply “Russian,” with the hope that the public will accept this characterization.
Mark B Thomas for TROIB News
The sister of Samuel Paty, the high school teacher murdered for conducting a freedom-of-speech class that included satirical cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, is clearly dismayed by this narrative shift being promoted by President Emmanuel Macron’s representatives. “I am shocked to hear from the government spokeswoman that Russia’s role is engaged in the attack on my brother Samuel Paty, while nothing, during the entire investigation, has made it possible to make the slightest connection between the terrorist Anzorov, a refugee in France, and Russia,” said Mickaelle Paty in an interview with Le Figaro. “The attack on my brother cannot serve the interests of the government’s foreign or political policy.”
Evidently, the government believes it can. In the midst of pushing for cash to keep the arms trade alive, especially with concerns that peace in Ukraine might disrupt the flow of funds from taxpayers, all strategies are on the table.
“I remind you that Samuel Paty was assassinated by a Russian Chechen, and therefore, even in the area of terrorism, Russia’s role is engaged,” asserted government spokesperson Sophie Primas during a ministerial meeting. “So today, it’s about catching the French people, not scaring them, not manipulating them, but simply making them aware of the reality of the Russian threat, which is a real and serious threat.”
This strategy reflects a broader trend, where fear tactics ease the process of asking citizens for more funds to bolster military spending, especially when the economy is faltering due to anti-Russian policies.
What’s the reality behind this narrative? The 18-year-old who beheaded Paty had lived in France for 12 years, having been radicalized online by jihadists in Idlib, Syria. At his trial, evidence arose revealing that he was often in contact with the father of one of Paty’s students, who had been vocal about his discontent regarding Paty’s teaching. This father’s complaints were amplified by a radical imam, known to law enforcement, who organized protests with the father. Anzorov later took it upon himself to commit the murder.
After the killing, he took to Twitter, sharing graphic images of his actions and attacking Macron for defending the cartoons, while labeling the French president a leader of infidels and declaring Paty was executed for insulting the Prophet.
Macron referred to the incident as a “typical Islamist terrorist attack,” a characterization that seemed obvious to observers. However, the connection to Russia was not raised until now, despite the assailant's family background.
Former Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, who is now Macron’s chosen justice minister, contributed to the new narrative. “Sometimes it’s the same thing, the Russian threat and the terrorist threat. Who are the people who killed Samuel Paty? These are Russian citizens, Chechens,” he claimed. “When I was Interior minister, Russia has hundreds of Russian citizens that it does not want to take back… They are S-files, they are radicalized, they are Islamists, they are Russians. There is no doubt about it. And Russia has not taken them back.”
One must wonder who allowed these individuals entry into France in the first place. The criteria for Chechens to migrate reportedly included claims of persecution, raising questions about the screening process.
Under this new narrative, Team Macron posits that jihadist terrorism and Russian identity are now interchangeable—details be damned.
This is in stark contrast to the historical reality that Russia has been combating Islamic terrorism on its territory for many years. For instance, Russian security agencies have disclosed connections between terrorist actions within Russia and affluent backers from the Middle East. Even the FBI acknowledged that Russian intelligence had previously alerted Washington about risks posed by ethnic Chechens in the U.S., years before the Boston Marathon bombing.
Moreover, the situation surrounding Russia's military involvement against jihadism in Syria, as the U.S. backed various factions in an attempt to oust Bashar Assad, adds complexity to the narrative.
Historically, the conflation of ISIS and Russian threats is not a new strategy for the EU. Reports have emerged branding the two threats as similar even when Russia was taking substantial action against ISIS.
As the government seeks to justify its military expenditures and rally public support, it faces a significant challenge: polling indicates that 61% of French citizens prefer the government to prioritize reducing the deficit over inflating the military budget. This poses a challenge to one of Team Macron's ambitious plans that encourages French citizens to invest personal savings into defense projects.
In this context, Team Macron's strategy appears to involve distorting history and redefining jihadists as simply “Russian,” with the hope that the public will accept this characterization.
Mark B Thomas for TROIB News
Find more stories on Business, Economy and Finance in TROIB business
