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French President Macron Creates New Counterterrorism Unit

by Associated Press

   PARIS --

   French President Emmanuel Macron is holding a special meeting Wednesday
   aimed at creating a new counterterrorism unit, in the presence of
   government members and top security officials.

   The French presidency said the defense council will outline details of
   a task force that will be in charge of coordinating counterterrorism
   efforts and intelligence services in the country.
   The unit will be based at the Elysee palace, operational 24 hours a day
   and will act directly under the president's authority -- an
   unprecedented situation in the country, where some observers have
   denounced a lack of coordination between foreign and domestic
   intelligence services.
   The creation of the task force was a campaign promise of Macron in a
   country marked by a series of attacks by Islamic extremists.