France warns of resurgence of terror threats in Europe in lead up to Paris Olympics

These are times of significant risk, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin says during visit to US

France has been subjected to several terror attacks in recent years, including at the Bataclan concert venue where dozens of people were killed. AP

France has warned of a resurgence in terrorist threats in Europe, before the Paris Olympics next year.

During a visit to the US, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin asked Washington for increased co-operation .

Mr Darmanin said that these "are times of significant risk", pointing to the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, France's diminished footprint in Africa and the "reconstitution" of ISIS.

He was wrapping up a two-day visit to Washington and New York aimed at boosting police and judicial co-operation between France and the US in the fight against terrorism and serious crime.

"We have come to remind them that for Europeans, and for France, the primary risk is Islamist terrorism and that anti-terrorist collaboration between intelligence services is absolutely essential," Mr Darmanin said.

He added that "at a time when the Americans maybe have a more domestic vision of challenges – white supremacy, repeated shootings, conspiracy – they must not forget what appears to us in Europe as the first threat: Sunni terrorism."

Mr Darmanin met Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and visited the FBI training centre in Quantico, Virginia.

In New York, he met Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell to discuss public order and security arrangements for major international events, noting that France was gearing up for the Olympics, as well as the Rugby World Cup and a visit by Pope Francis to Marseille later this year.