"France raised its terror threat alert to the highest level last Friday after a knife-wielding man of Chechen origin killed a teacher and injured three other people at a school in northern France. Officials described the killing as an Islamist terror attack. The murder put President Macron’s government under severe pressure as officials acknowledged that the main suspect in the attack and various members of his family had been identified by French intelligence services as radicalized or had been convicted on terrorism charges. Should we be concerned about another wave of terror in Europe caused by Islamic extremism? To delve more into the topic, we were joined by Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler, Senior Director of the Counter Extremism Project."

CEP Strategic Advisor Liam Duffy writes: "The most destructive, spectacular and costly riots in France’s recent history, surpassing even the infamous unrest of 2005, are over. To the Anglophone media and its audiences they were an expression of the anger felt among the children of France’s former overseas possessions – a generational resentment fuelled by experiences of poverty, discrimination and painful colonial legacies."

"Speaking to The National, Sofia Koller, senior research analyst at the Counter Extremism Project, said: 'The motivation is not clear yet.

'Some media and parts of the public are quick to judge when they see it was a foreign-looking man with a knife, and assume it was a terror attack.'

There are continuing debates and discussions in France and Europe on asylum seekers and immigration, Ms Koller said, speaking from Germany.

'So I think this attack really comes at the worst timing because the debate is quite present at the moment. So this attack might have an even higher impact on French society,' she said."

"Speaking to The National, senior research analyst at the Counter Extremism Project Sofia Koller said it was important for the public to stay well-informed during and after an attack to ensure they have all the facts before making judgments.

'It's very early to speak about it being a terror attack because the motivation is not clear yet,' she said."

"On this week’s episode of 'The Hunt' with WTOP national security correspondent J.J. Green, Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler lays out the consequences, as France ends counterterrorism operation in the Sahel region."

CEP Senior Research Analyst Sofia Koller writes:  "After three years of obstacles and indecision, France has finally decided to repatriate some of its citizens. While bringing people affiliated with ISIS back to French soil might seem incredibly risky at best and naive at worst, repatriation is still the most effective solution to the foreign fighter dilemma."