Important Events Leading Up to the November 13 Paris Terrorist Attacks. Sheer Coincidence?

Global Research – by Prof Michel Chossudovsky

We are bringing to the attention of our readers four important events which preceded the Paris attacks.

1. The French media had already predicted a terrorist attack more than a month before the actual occurrence.

2. The head of France’s external intelligence was in Washington for consultations with CIA Chief John Brennan two weeks before the attacks.

3. On November 5 (one week before the Paris terrorist attacks), the Council of Ministers announced its decision to send France’s aircraft carrier group Charles de Gaulle to the Middle East, with a mandate to “fight against the Islamic state”.

4. On the morning of November 13, an emergency scenario of a multi-site terrorist attack is conducted in Paris, involving first responders, medical personnel, police and firemen. 

At this early stage, it is impossible to confirm whether these events bear a relationship to the dramatic events of November 13th.  What they do convey, however, is that France was on a “war footing” against the Islamic State prior to the events of November 13th.

War preparations allegedly against the Islamic State were ongoing prior to the official announcement by president Hollande that the Paris terrorist attacks of November 13 constituted “an act of war” against the French Republic.  

The decision to dispatch the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier together with its GAN carrier group to the Middle East is of utmost significance. It constitutes a formidable force which will be joining its US and coalition partners. 

This deployment of France’s naval and air power points to a strategy of military escalation directed against Syria and its allies. It is not intended to go after the Islamic State, which is protected by the US led coalition.  

France claim’s the right to defend itself, intimating that the French Republic has been attacked from outside the country.

Are the Paris terrorist attacks being used as a pretext and justification to intervene militarily in Syria in violation of international law. According to French President François Hollande, the terrorist attack was “prepared, organized and planned from outside the country by the Islamic State, but with help from inside.” 

October 2: Paris Media Predicts a French Style 9/11, “un 11 septembre à la française”.

The threat is real, according to Judge Trévédic in an interview with Paris Match.

 ”The attacks in France will be on  a scale comparable to 9/11″

“Intelligence services fear a 9/11 French Style”

”impossible a dejouer”, suggesting that French intelligence is inept and unable to prevent a forthcoming terrorist attack, if and when it occurs

October 27:  CIA Director John Brennan receives French External Intelligence (DGSE) Director Bernard Bajolet in Washington

On their Agenda: How to Fight the Islamic State, including Threats to National Security emanating from the Islamic State

News reports confirm that two weeks before the November 13 attacks, Bajolet arrived in Washington “for urgent meetings with his counterparts at the CIA and other agencies”. The meetings pertained to the war in Syria and the “threat from outside” emanating from the Islamic State.

CIA director, John O. Brennan and DGSE director Bernard Bajolet also participated in a panel (October 27) at George Washington University. The Panel was part of a Conference sponsored by the CIA and George Washington University.

In his presentation at George Washington University, Bajolet pointed to the “inside threat” of young radicalized Frenchmen, while intimating there was also:

“a threat from outside…  either through terrorist actions which are planned [and] ordered from outside or only through fighters coming back to our countries.”

In the wake of the Paris attacks, President Hollande –who had been briefed by Bajolet– went on record: “This is an Act of War” -i.e. the Islamic State is waging war on France. Hollande’s words were very similar to those of Bajolet. According to president François Hollande, the Paris terrorist attack was “prepared, organized and planned from outside the country by the Islamic State, but with help from inside.”

3.  November 5: Council of Ministers decides to Dispatch Charles de Gaulle Aircraft Carrier Group to the Middle East to Fight the Islamic State

Announced on November 5 (one week before the Paris attacks), the Council of Ministers confirmed that France had dispatched the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to the Middle East to “Fight Daesch (aka the Islamic State).  France’s Charles de Gaulle only aircraft carrier is slated to leave for the Mediterranean “to join the fight against the Islamic State in the region” on November 18.

Patrick Pelloux revealed on national radio on Saturday that SAMU conducted a “multi-site” counterterrorism emergency exercise in Paris on the same day as the Paris attacks.

It should be emphasized that this was not a military style exercise, it involved first responders, medical personnel and police. 

He said that the Paris emergency services were so well prepared, because “by chance” they had been planning for a similar scenario to what actually ocurred.

TV Broadcast