The man was placed on the terror watch list in 2012 as a known radical Islamist and France’s intelligence service DGSI kept him under surveillance for a number of years after being alerted to his behaviour, according to French news site RTL.

Unaware he was being watched, the man, who has not been named, applied to join the armed forces, but wasn't successful.

He then decided to try to join the French police force.

Despite apparently being under watch he was recruited as an Adjoint de Securité, a role ranked below a qualified police officer which can involve patrolling the streets and administrative duties.

This is despite the DGSI receiving significant intelligence about his behaviour and sending his details on to the interior minister, who supervises the police, RTL reported.

He was kept under surveillance in this role, and once the security forces were sure he wasn’t involved in any terrorist plots, he was allowed to complete his training and became a fully qualified police officer on 22 September after undergoing the required training.

He has since been removed from the terror watchlist.

France’s new anti-terrorism law, which will come into effect on 1st November, will ensure strict background checks will be made on anyone recruited into the police, customs, and security forces. 

Last year, a leaked memo revealed radicalisation among police was a growing fear. 

Commanding officers were said to be concerned by the behaviour of 17 junior-ranking officers, four of whom had converted to Islam.

By Anna Schaverien