France files preliminary terrorism charges against teenager accused of planning to attack Olympic fans – Firstpost

French authorities on Friday brought preliminary terrorism charges against an 18-year-old accused of a plot to target spectators attending soccer matches at the upcoming Paris Olympics. The interior minister said it was the first foiled plot targeting the Games, which begin in eight weeks while France is at the highest alert level.

The man is accused of having planned a “violent action” in the name of the jihadist ideology of the Islamic State group, the national anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office said in a statement on Friday. The man, who has not been identified, remains in police custody pending further investigation.

The Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, declared in a press release that members of the General Directorate of Internal Security had arrested an 18-year-old Chechen on May 22, suspected of being at the origin of a planned The attack on football events allegedly taking place in the southern town of Saint-Étienne.

According to initial investigations, the man was preparing an attack targeting the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium in Saint-Etienne which will host several football matches during the Summer Games. The planned attack targeted spectators and police forces, the statement said. The suspect wanted to tackle the Olympic events “to die and become a martyr”, the press release also specifies.

France is on highest security alert ahead of the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, which are expected to attract millions of visitors and run from July 26 to August 26. 11. Football matches will take place in cities across France before the final at the Stade de France in Paris.

Darmanin, the interior minister, did not cite a specific security threat to the soccer event, but said there are multiple potential threats, including those from Islamic extremist groups, environmental activists violent attacks, far-right groups and cyberattacks from Russia or other adversaries.

The organizing committee for the Paris Olympics declared itself informed of this arrest and praised the intelligence and security services. “Security is the top priority of Paris 2024. We work daily in close coordination with the Ministry of the Interior and all stakeholders – and will continue to be fully mobilized,” he said in a statement.

Canada’s women’s soccer team is the reigning Olympic champion and is scheduled to begin group play July 25 in Saint-Étienne against New Zealand. Canada will also face France at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on July 26.

Asked about the alleged plot, Canada coach Bev Priestman said: “It’s disturbing to hear, but I think much like in Tokyo, the Olympic Committee, I imagine they’re going to intervene and I think that our faith and trust will make this a secure environment for our players.

Security concerns are particularly high during the exceptional opening ceremony, which brings more than 100 world leaders to the French capital. It involves boats carrying athletes along the Seine in a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) open-air parade and huge crowds watching from the docks.

In April, French President Emmanuel Macron said the July 26 opening ceremony could be moved to the country’s national stadium if the security threat was deemed too high.

Organizers had initially planned to welcome up to 600,000 people, most watching for free from the river banks. But security and logistics problems have led the government to gradually lower its ambitions. Earlier this year, total attendance was reduced to around 300,000.

The French government also decided that tourists would not have free access to the opening ceremony for security reasons. Free access will be by invitation only.

Reinforced security is also provided for the Olympic torch relay, which crossed the promontory of the Mont-Saint-Michel monastery on Friday, which welcomes thousands of tourists daily.