Follow usA man has been arrested in Southern France for planning an attack on a football stadium that will be used during the upcoming Olympic Games, officials have reported. The suspect, an 18-year-old of Chechen origin, was put under arrest on May 22 in Saint-Etienne after authorities uncovered evidence of an Islamist-inspired attack. French Interior Minister Gérard Darmanin commended the intelligence services for successfully thwarting what he described as the first plot targeting the Games.
The Paris 2024 Olympics, scheduled to start on July 26, have put France on high alert. The suspect, whose name has not been released, was reportedly caught exchanging encrypted messages with known Islamists. Investigators found photographs and videos of the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium, where several football matches are set to take place, on his phone and computer. Darmanin stated that the suspect aimed to attack spectators and security forces at the stadium and was motivated by Islamist ideology.
The Paris committee organizing the Olympics expressed gratitude for the efficient work of the French authorities in ensuring the security of the Games. The French government has mobilized around 20,000 soldiers and over 40,000 police officers to safeguard the event. Additionally, approximately 2,000 troops and police officers from other countries will assist in providing security. Authorities are also conducting thorough screenings of the one million people involved in the Games, including athletes, residents near Olympic venues, medical staff, and volunteers.
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