A frantic manhunt is underway for a suspected Islamic State jihadi hiding in Calais and plotting to sneak into Britain to launch a terrorist attack.
French police have been scouring the port for the alleged fanatic, who left the Middle East at the end of last month and travelled overland to Europe.
But he has evaded officers, possibly by hiding among the 3,500 migrants living in the ‘Jungle’ camp on the outskirts of the town.
The man has been classified as being a type-S criminal, one who is considered a potential threat to the state.
The police dossier includes a photo, a description, details of his alleged crimes and instructions to officers about his potential risk to others, the paper said.
Officers have been ordered to place the unnamed man under arrest and to proceed with caution.
There has long been concern that IS jihadists might attempt to smuggle themselves into Britain through Calais to launch atrocities.
Up to 40 French detectives from an elite unit have previously been reported to be based at Coquelles close to Calais to monitor migrants – preventing infiltration by jihadis and fighting people-smuggler gangs who stow migrants away on ferries and trains to the UK.
The officers are part of the Brigade Mobile de Recherche, which liaises with intelligence agencies.
Authorities have previously insisted that they are successfully stopping suspected terrorists.
Speaking in May, a spokesman for the Calais local government said: ‘There is full and complete vigilance in Calais with regard to threat by jihadists or other criminal networks with potential involvement in people smuggling.’
As well as the migrants in the Jungle camp, there are 120 women and children in sheltered accommodation at a former children’s summer camp nearby.
An estimated 1,500 more migrants, mostly from Africa and the Middle East, are living on wasteland close to the motorways leading to the ferry port.
As well as attempting to smuggle themselves in on lorries, many make repeated attempts to break into the Eurostar station at the French end of the Eurotunnel.
At one point in the summer, stowaways on trucks were being caught at the rate of 90 an hour.
