PARIS, FRANCE – As France solemnly marks the tenth anniversary of the deadliest terrorist attacks in its modern history, the nation has been confronted with a stark reminder of the enduring jihadist threat. On Monday, November 10, 2025, French authorities placed a 27-year-old woman, identified as Maëva B., under formal investigation on suspicion of plotting a terrorist act, a case that directly links back to the 2015 Paris atrocities.

According to France's National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office (PNAT), the investigation into Maëva B. began after prison officials discovered that Salah Abdeslam, the only surviving member of the Islamic State (IS) cell that carried out the 2015 attacks, was in possession of USB keys containing jihadist propaganda. The trail led investigators to Maëva B., a French convert to Islam who had developed a relationship with Abdeslam while he serves a full-life sentence. A search of her electronic devices revealed what prosecutors describe as "clear radicalisation and a fascination for jihad," along with evidence of a "plot for violent action." Two alleged associates, a 20-year-old man and a 17-year-old minor, were also detained.

A Nation's Unhealed Wound

The arrests cast a long shadow over the commemorations for the attacks of Friday, November 13, 2015. On that evening, three coordinated teams of IS militants unleashed a wave of violence across Paris and the suburb of Saint-Denis. The horror began at 9:20 PM local time when the first of three suicide bombers detonated his vest outside the Stade de France, where an international football match was underway. This was followed by a series of mass shootings and bombings targeting crowded cafés and restaurants. The night culminated in a bloody siege at the Bataclan concert hall, where gunmen murdered 90 people attending a rock concert. In total, the attacks claimed 130 lives and left more than 400 people injured, scarring the French national psyche. The Islamic State group swiftly claimed responsibility, citing it as retaliation for French airstrikes in Syria and Iraq.

The Evolving Threat Landscape

Salah Abdeslam, a 36-year-old Belgian-born French national, played a key logistical role in the 2015 attacks, including driving the Stade de France bombers to their target. He abandoned his own suicide vest, which investigators later determined was defective, and fled to Brussels. After a four-month manhunt, he was captured on March 18, 2016. Following a historic 10-month trial, he was convicted of terrorism and murder and, on June 29, 2022, was handed a full-life sentence without the possibility of parole, the most severe penalty in French law.

The recent plot allegedly involving Maëva B. highlights a significant shift in the nature of the terrorist threat in Europe. A decade ago, the danger often came from highly structured cells directed by IS leadership in Syria and Iraq. Today, as noted by French security services and the U.S. State Department, the primary threat is from "endogenous" or lone-actor attacks, often inspired by online propaganda rather than direct command. These individuals or small groups, radicalized within their own communities, pose a different and more diffuse challenge for intelligence agencies.

Global Resonance and Kenyan Vigilance

While the recent events are centered in France, they serve as a critical global security reminder, including for nations like Kenya that have long contended with extremist violence. The persistent threat of terrorism from groups such as Al-Shabaab remains a primary security concern for Kenyan authorities. The U.S. Embassy in Nairobi regularly issues alerts, noting that locations frequented by foreigners remain attractive targets for terrorist groups who can attack with little warning. Kenyan security forces have disrupted numerous plots and continue to conduct counter-terrorism operations, particularly along the border with Somalia.

The French case illustrates the ongoing challenge of prison radicalization and the ability of convicted terrorists to exert influence from behind bars. It also underscores the global nature of extremist ideology, which transcends borders and can inspire individuals anywhere in the world. International cooperation in intelligence sharing and counter-terrorism financing remains a cornerstone of the global effort to combat these networks. As France remembers its profound loss, the foiled plot is a sobering signal that vigilance, both at home and in partnership with allies, is more critical than ever. The threat, though changed in form, has not dissipated.