French government launches terrorism app for football fans

THE French government has announced the launch of a mobile phone app that will provide football fans attending the Euro 2016 with information on possible terrorist attacks and tips on how to stay safe.

The country’s Interior Ministry released information on the SAIP (System of Alerts and Information for the Population) app on Wednesday (June 8) just two days before the first match between France and Romania at the Stade de France near Paris, following warnings that the event could be a terrorist target.

Geographical coordinations will be used to deliver information relevant to each user’s location, with alerts due to appear within 15 minutes of any incidents and users able to view information for up to eight different areas to “keep the public up to date with what we know,” Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve explained.

Available in French and English, the app will be available to download free of charge on iOS and Android, and an English-language guide has been published by the host country’s government on how to protect one’s self in the case of a terror attack.