PARIS (AFP) ― The self-declared al-Qaida fighter holed up in a besieged flat in southern France on Wednesday has forced the issue of Islamist terror to the heart of the French presidential race.

Analysts say the drama around the suspected killer of seven people will likely give a boost to far-right candidate Marine Le Pen of the National Front, known for her fierce anti-immigration and anti-Islamist rhetoric.

As President Nicolas Sarkozy called for national unity, some of the candidates seeking to replace him in next month’s vote began to manoeuvre to take advantage of the crisis mood generated by the gunman’s attacks.

The shooter, allegedly a young Frenchman of Algerian descent, is sought for the murders of three Jewish children, a teacher and three soldiers.

Le Pen ― running third in the polls ― was first off the blocks, claiming:

“The danger of fundamentalism has been underestimated in our country.”

Brushing off protests from a television interviewer that she was seeking to manipulate a national tragedy for her own ends, Le Pen insisted she had warned of the dangers of extremist violence before the killings.

“Politico-religious groups are developing in a lax climate,” she said.

“We need to fight this war against politico-religious fundamentalist groups which are killing Christian children, young Christian men, young Muslim men and, two days ago, Jewish children,” she added.

A spokesman for far-left challenger Jean-Luc Melenchon did not mince his words in response, denouncing the National Front as “vultures” feeding at the scenes of the crimes.

“Throughout this campaign, yesterday as today, Marine Le Pen has had the same goal ― to feed a Crusader spirit inspired by religious war under the theory of a clash of civilizations,” alleged Alexis Corbiere.

Center-right candidate Francois Bayrou also accused the “extreme right” of trying to “surf” to power on the wave of violence.

Sociologist Sylvain Crepon, a specialist on the far right, said the incident was “a godsend for Marine Le Pen”.

“In the short term this could benefit Nicolas Sarkozy, but in the medium and long terms this will legitimize the FN and its discourse,” he said. “She will be able to say ‘I was stigmatized while I was right all along.’”

Political scientist Jean-Yves Camus said Le Pen was “certainly not the loser” from the attacks.

“For years the FN has been saying that immigration is the exporter of terrorism. Marine Le Pen will be able to say that all the measures taken by Nicolas Sarkozy during his term were not able to prevent these murders,” he said.

But analysts said Sarkozy may also win credit for being the man in charge when the killer was found two days after his third attack ― unless voters ask why the militant was not under closer watch.

After authorities said the suspect had been known to French intelligence for years, the FN’s deputy leader Louis Aliot moved in quickly on the attack.

It is important to “ask whether he (the shooter) could have been arrested”

earlier, Aliot said, adding that the incident “casts doubt” on the French government’s ability to fight Islamist extremist networks.

Pollsters said all surveys taken before the crisis had suggested that voters care more about jobs and household spending power ― and trusted Socialist Francois Hollande more than Sarkozy on these issues.

For at least five months Hollande has enjoyed a clear lead over the right-wing incumbent in opinion polls, at least in second-round voting intentions, but Sarkozy has begun to make up ground.

The first round is to be held on April 22 followed by a May 6 run-off vote.