Paris suffered its second terrorist attack in 10 months on Friday as 129 people were killed in what French President Francois Hollande described as an “act of war”.

The attacks were carried out by eight gunmen and suicide bombers on bars, restaurants, a concert hall and outside the football stadium where France was playing Germany. Over 350 people were injured in the attacks.

Several arrests were made in Belgium yesterday in areas where some of the terrorists were believed to have lived.

The attacks shocked many as survivors spoke of carnage. In Malta several French nationals gathered in St Julian’s for a candlelit vigil to remember the dead.

This is a war but we will not give in to the sentiments of xenophobia and racism

Marie Choquet, one of the organisers, said the French community was in shock. “We are all asking ourselves, how could this happen again?”

In January Paris was rocked when terrorists attacked the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.

The vigil saw a moment of silence followed by an impromptu rendition of La Marseillaise, the French national anthem.

French ambassador to Malta Beatrice Le Fraper du Hellen said she was deeply shocked by the attacks but was sure the French would not give in to racism.“This is a war but we will not give in to the sentiments of xenophobia and racism, that is what they want and we will not let that in,” she said.

The attacks led security to be stepped up everywhere across Europe. Security at Malta International Airport and other strategic locations, including the French Embassy and residence, was tightened.

But Prime Minister Joseph Muscat emphasised this was only a precautionary measure.

“There is no known threat to Malta,” he said yesterday.

Border checks introduced temporarily for the Valletta Summit were re-instated yesterday until after CHOGM at the end of November.

Expressing solidarity with the French, Dr Muscat said the Paris attacks were “an attack on Europe and the civilised world”.

President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil, Archbishop Charles Scicluna and Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Arnold Cassola also expressed solidarity.

“More than ever, we need to stand united and firm against terrorism,” Dr Busuttil said.