The decision was made in connection with the murder of three students and teacher of Jewish schools in the region's largest city, Toulouse. "Red" threat level was declared for the first time since the introduction of the warning system on terrorist risk in France in the 1990s.

Announcement of the highest level of threat, in particular, allows authorities to organize joint patrols by military and police in the period from 07:00 to 22:00. Also the government can suspend civil aviation, set up water restrictions, prohibit public transport and cancel classes at schools.

Sarkozy and his main rival in the struggle for a Socialist president, Francois Hollande, on Tuesday visited Toulouse and publicly condemned the murder, http://www.thechinatimes.com reports.

The current French president also promised to make every effort to find the culprit, who on Monday morning opened fire on children and adults gathered near a Jewish school. The attack killed 30-year-old teacher and three children aged 3, 6 and 10 years. The attacker fled the scene on a scooter.

According to investigators, the criminal, which operated in Toulouse, has used a weapon that was used during the two attacks on military in the region earlier in March. In Toulouse in early March, a soldier was shot in the head.

A week after the attack, the criminal opened fire on the paratroopers in Montauban killing two people and wounding one. In both cases, the killer fled the scene on the same scooter.