France’s fight against islamist terrorism

The articles explores internal and external factors explaining the emergencе of the islamist terrorism on the French soil as well as the modalities of the French authorities’ fight with it. In connection with the fact that most terrorists were born and grew up in France, special attention is paid to the problem of the Muslim community, the largest in Europe. An objective contradiction is noted between the desire of the majority of Muslims to preserve religious traditions and de facto atheistic French society. Coupled with the problems of poverty and social exclusion, this creates favorable conditions for the activities of Islamic fundamentalists, including militant, who seek to radicalize Muslim youth and promote the idea of jihad. The attempts of the authorities to oppose them with «French Islam», which would be compatible with the liberal «republican values» and the secular State, are showed. Measures to prevent radicalization of young Muslims are considered. At the same time, the article analyzes the efforts of the authorities to prevent terrorist attacks with the help of security structures, by tightening control over citizens, mobilizing local governments, forming a «culture of security» throughout the whole society. The fight of France against jihadism outside of its borders, namely in the Sahel region in Africa, is touched upon.