Nice attack: Links between Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel and Daesh `not established`, says minister

The French government has called on “all willing patriots” to volunteer to join the police ranks to fight terrorism in the wake of the Bastille Day atrocity where an attacker in a lorry killed 84 people.

Ten children were among the dead as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel ploughed a truck into holiday crowds as they enjoyed a firework display on the promenade of the French Riviera resort of Nice.

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said he has already called up 12,000 police reservists but wanted more to come forward.

Mr Cazeneuve urged young citizens to help boost security forces following the country`s latest terror attack on July 14.

France`s ‘operational reservists’ include French citizens with or without military experience as well as former soldiers.

“I want to call on all French patriots who wish to do so, to join this operational reserve,” said Mr Cazeneuve.

His plea comes after the Government has been criticised for not doing more to stop attacks.

The so-called Islamic State (Daesh) group has said it was behind Thursday`s truck massacre in which Bouhlel drove a 19-ton lorry through the packed streets.

It was the third major Islamist attack France has suffered in the past 18 months.

Police, with seven suspects in detention, said they were investigating the 31-year-old’s links to Islamist extremism. His attack followed repeated warnings that European tourist resorts were vulnerable to terrorists and exhortations from Daesh and Al Qaeda for their followers to carry out ram raids on crowds.

French mayors earlier this month complained that a substantial cut in the number of police guarding French beaches could leave holidaymakers vulnerable to a terrorist attack.

The number of officers was this year cut by a third and their mission shortened to five weeks from two months.

As the UK government’s emergency COBRA committee met on Friday (July 15), Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, of the National Police Chiefs` Council, said arrangements were being reviewed at UK events over the next seven days “to ensure the appropriate security is in place”.

Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, also announced a review of safety in the capital. Sources said the review was likely to look at the number of armed police deployed for large public events.

French President Francois Hollande said the new reservists would be called upon to boost the ranks of police and gendarmes.

Details of how to become a reservist were swiftly posted on the national gendarmerie`s website.

Volunteers must be between 17 and 30 years of age, have the right physical and moral aptitude and undergo military training.

They will only be required during the summer period, while the regular reservists are on holiday, said Mr Cazeneuve.

The operational reserve is currently made up of 12,000 volunteers, 9,000 of whom are within the paramilitary police and 3,000 in the regular police force, said Mr Cazeneuve.

“We are going to reinforce the presence of security forces across the country,” he added.

He said the number of security forces deployed to protect the population was nearly 100,000, including 53,000 police, 36,000 para-military police and 10,000 soldiers.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls was booed on Monday (July 18) as he attended a minute`s silence in Nice.

Hecklers shouted out “murderer” and “resign” at him before the nation’s act of homage.

Earlier, former president Nicolas Sarkozy accused the Government of failing to provide proper security.

Troops are to be redeployed to tourist spots as inquiries continue into the killer`s possible links to jihadists.

Opposition leader Mr Sarkozy called for any foreign nationals with links to radical Islam to be expelled from France.

Mr Cazeneuve said the investigation had “not yet established” evidence linking the attacker to terrorist networks.

The terrorist group made the claim through its propaganda arm, the Amaq News Agency. Citing a “security source”, Daesh said Lahouaiej-Bouhlel “carried out the operation in response to calls