In France, planned attacks on the Olympic and Paralympic Games have been foiled in several cities. Anti-terrorism prosecutor Olivier Christen said that, among other things, an attack on “Israeli facilities or representatives of Israel in Paris” during the Olympic Games from July 26 to August 11 had been prevented. The plans were not directly aimed at the Israeli Olympic team, he told the broadcaster France Info.
Five suspects accused of terrorism are still in custody, Christen said. One of them is said to be a minor. The three foiled attack plans were mainly linked to jihadists, Christen said. Propaganda from the terrorist group Islamic State continues to be spread.
Christen said that preventive measures against attacks included increased house searches in the run-up to the Olympic Games. This year there have already been 936 such searches, compared to 153 last year. Before the Olympic Games, the authorities arrested a Chechen who was allegedly planning an attack on the football tournament.
France has been the target of Islamists for many years, and there have been numerous terrorist-related attacks in the country. At the end of August, police arrested four suspects after an arson attack on a synagogue in southern France. ap
