French prosecutor says plots included plans to assault ‘Israeli establishments or representatives of Israel in Paris’.
French authorities foiled three plots to assault the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris and different cities that hosted this 12 months’s occasions, the nationwide counterterrorism prosecutor has stated.
Olivier Christen stated on Wednesday the plots included plans to assault “Israeli establishments or representatives of Israel in Paris” throughout the July 26 – August 11 Olympic competitors.
The prosecutor instructed broadcaster France Information that “the Israeli workforce itself was not particularly focused.” He didn’t give additional particulars.
5 individuals, together with a minor, have been arrested on suspicion of involvement within the three foiled plots in opposition to the Summer time Video games, which have been held in opposition to the backdrop of Israel’s assault on Gaza and Russia’s battle in Ukraine. The suspects are going through varied terrorism-related expenses whereas they continue to be in pretrial detention, the prosecutor stated.
France was on its highest safety alert within the months main as much as the Olympics and Paralympics, which wrapped up final week.
Throughout preparations for the Video games, Inside Minister Gerald Darmanin repeatedly warned that safety threats included these from armed teams, environmental activists and cyberattacks from Russia or different adversaries.
In Could, members of the Basic Directorate of Inner Safety arrested an 18-year-old man from Chechnya on suspicion of being behind a plan to attack Olympic football events that have been held within the southern metropolis of Saint-Etienne.
The deliberate assault was to focus on “bar-type institutions across the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium”, the prosecutor stated. The suspect is accused of planning “a violent motion” on behalf of the ISIL (ISIS) group’s ideology.
Preventive measures included elevated home searches and home arrests earlier than the beginning of the Olympics, the prosecutor stated, including that police and different safety personnel performed 936 home searches up to now in 2024, in contrast with 153 final 12 months.
France additionally strengthened its airspace defences throughout the Summer time Olympics and Paralympics, deploying warplanes, assault helicopters, surveillance plane, navy and police drones amongst others to patrol the skies over Paris and the Mediterranean port metropolis of Marseille, which hosted crusing and soccer occasions.
The French Air and House Pressure accomplished greater than 750 flight hours in 350 missions that resulted in 90 interceptions, in response to an announcement from the Armed Forces Ministry.
Most interceptions have been civilian drones, the assertion stated, including that 85 drone operators have been arrested. They have been principally vacationers unaware of the laws in place throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Video games, the assertion stated.
Two civilian drone operators have been arrested for “delivering unlawful gear to a jail”, it added.
