The murder of an 85-year-old priest in Normandy and the daily round of threats and vitriol show, yet again, that Isil terrorists have kept their promise to make France a priority target.

When the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) was carving out its domain in the Middle East, its official spokesman singled out France for a chilling threat.

Abu Mohammed al-Adnani urged Muslims to “kill a disbelieving American or European – especially the spiteful and filthy French”.