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Eiffel Tower May Have Been Target of Spain's ISIS Cell

A French soldier patrols near the Eiffel Tower on January 10, 2015. ERIC GAILLARD/REUTERS
A French soldier patrols near the Eiffel Tower on January 10, 2015. ERIC GAILLARD/REUTERS
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Eiffel Tower May Have Been Target of Spain's ISIS Cell

A French soldier patrols near the Eiffel Tower on January 10, 2015. ERIC GAILLARD/REUTERS
A French soldier patrols near the Eiffel Tower on January 10, 2015. ERIC GAILLARD/REUTERS

The French capital’s Eiffel Tower may have been among the targets of the ISIS cell that carried out a deadly terrorist attack in Barcelona in the summer, a new report said.

The protective wall that surrounds the monument was installed after video of a trip to Paris was found in a destroyed hideout, according to the report by researchers Fernando Reinares and Carola Garcia-Calvo in January's CTC Sentinel, a research publication into terrorism.

The cell attacked Barcelona's La Rambla and Cambrils, a beachside town, killing 16 people in August at the height of the season and in one of Europe's top tourist destinations.

Only flawed bomb construction prevented a deadlier attack. Their hideout blew up as they were assembling explosives.

According to the report, based on interviews with investigators and court documents, members of the cell traveled to Paris before the attack, for reasons investigators have yet to determine. There, they bought a camera and filmed the Eiffel Tower.

French authorities began installing in September a bulletproof glass wall around the Eiffel Tower’s gardens under the 30-million-euro ($36-million), nine-month works.

Visited by six to seven million people each year, the landmark already has a permanent police patrol.

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Taiwan on Alert over China's Military Activities in Pacific

Chinese and Taiwanese printed flags are seen in this illustration taken, April 28, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
Chinese and Taiwanese printed flags are seen in this illustration taken, April 28, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
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Taiwan on Alert over China's Military Activities in Pacific

Chinese and Taiwanese printed flags are seen in this illustration taken, April 28, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
Chinese and Taiwanese printed flags are seen in this illustration taken, April 28, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te on Thursday ordered defense and security units to step up their monitoring and intelligence efforts in response to China's military activities, which he said have not abated even as tensions rise in the Middle East. Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, has, along with Japan, been tracking the movement of two Chinese aircraft carriers conducting simultaneous operations in the Pacific for the first time, Reuters reported.

Lai, in a statement released by his office after meeting with defense officials, said the conflict between Israel and Iran has led to a "chain of global security challenges."

"From the perspective of our country and even the Indo-Pacific region, it is worth paying special attention to the fact that China's military pressure in the entire region of the first and second island chains has not slowed due to the situation in the Middle East," he said.

"The actions of the two aircraft carrier groups of the Shandong and Liaoning in the relevant waters of the first and second island chains in the past few days have posed considerable risks for the Indo-Pacific region and have aroused the heightened concern of the international community."

The first island chain refers to an area that runs from Japan southeast to Taiwan, the Philippines, and Borneo, while the second island chain spreads further out into the Pacific to include places such as the U.S. territory of Guam.

Lai said he had asked the defense and security teams to strengthen their monitoring of regional developments and enhance their "intelligence gathering and research capabilities."

At the same time, Taiwan should maintain close coordination with its "friends" to ensure a swift response to any "emergencies," he added.

China's Defense Ministry did not respond to a request for comment outside of office hours.

China's navy, which has been honing its abilities to operate farther from the country's coast, said last week the carrier operations were "routine training" exercises that did not target specific countries or regions. China operates two carriers, with a third undergoing sea trials.