An 18-year-old has been arrested in the French department of Gironde, accused of planning a terror attack just three days before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris. The suspect is now in police custody, facing charges of “criminal association for terrorism purposes aimed at preparing one or more personal injury offenses,” as reported by the newspaper Le Parisien.
The young man, identified as having radical views, was flagged by the General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSI) due to multiple messages he posted on social media expressing his intent to carry out an attack. The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation into the matter.
In a separate incident, a 40-year-old Russian man was detained by DGSI agents after a raid on his home in Paris over the weekend. French authorities are investigating him for allegedly conducting intelligence services for a foreign power with the aim of destabilizing the state during the Olympic Games. He could face a prison sentence of up to 30 years if convicted.
These arrests come in the wake of several troubling incidents in France in recent months, such as the discovery of red handprints on the Holocaust Memorial in Paris and five coffins draped in the French flag that were left at the base of the Eiffel Tower.
To secure the Olympic Games, which will take place from this Wednesday until August 11, Paris will deploy a significant security presence of 45,000 personnel. The opening ceremony, scheduled for Friday along the Seine River, will be accompanied by a special security plan to ensure safety during the event.
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