France says five people arrested over three plots to attack the Paris Olympics

The French anti-terrorism prosecutor announced that responsible agencies in the country have thwarted three conspiracy plans to attack the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. Olivier Christen stated in an interview with 'France Info' on Wednesday, September 21, that 'attacks on Israeli institutions or representative offices in Paris were also part of these plots, but Israeli athletes sent to the Olympics were not specifically targeted.' The French anti-terrorism prosecutor added that a total of five individuals, including a minor, have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the thwarted conspiracies. According to him, these individuals have been charged with terrorism-related offenses and are currently in prison. The Paris Summer Olympics are set to take place in August and September amid the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza. The French government had raised security alerts to the highest level long before the Olympics began on August 5. During the preparations for this sporting event, the French Minister of the Interior repeatedly warned about security threats from radical Islamist groups, far-right groups, cyberattacks linked to Russia, and violent environmentalist groups. In May, the French police arrested an 18-year-old Chechen boy on suspicion of planning an attack on a football match at the stadium in Saint-Étienne, located in southern France. The anti-terrorism prosecutor stated in the interview on Wednesday that the target of this plot was cafes and restaurants around the stadium, and the suspect was accused of 'designing a violent attack' on behalf of the group known as ISIS. This French official added that the majority of the thwarted plots are linked to jihadist groups and ideologies, with 80% of legal cases related to this extremist worldview that still influences French youth. He noted that ISIS 'continues to promote and disseminate propaganda.' The French anti-terrorism prosecutor also mentioned that in the months leading up to the Paris Olympics, preventive security measures, including home inspections and arrests of suspects at home, were increased. According to him, the police and other law enforcement agencies in France have conducted 936 home inspections since the beginning of this calendar year, while the number of such operations last year was 153. Additionally, France intensified security measures in the airspace and over the cities hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Fighter jets, attack helicopters, and reconnaissance planes were in flight, and police and other law enforcement agencies used drones to protect Paris and the port of Marseille, which hosted sailing and football events. The Ministry of Defense stated on Wednesday, September 21, that the French air and space force has conducted over 750 hours of flight in 350 missions related to the protection of the Olympics, resulting in 90 interventions leading to identifications. The statement added that the majority of these interventions were due to civilian and personal drones, and operators of 85 of these drones were arrested for violating safety regulations. According to the French Ministry of Defense, most of these individuals were foreign tourists who were unaware of the special security regulations during the Paris Olympics.