France foils three attack plots targeting the Paris Olympics and Paralympics

On September 11, 2024, French prosecutors announced the successful thwarting of three attack plots targeting the Paris Olympics and Paralympics. Olivier Christen, France's national anti-terrorism prosecutor, said that the targets of the attack plots include not only Paris and other places where the Olympics and Paralympics are held, but also Israeli institutions or representatives in Paris, but the Israeli sports delegation itself is not the target.

In this incident, a total of five people were arrested on suspicion of being involved in these three attack plots, including a minor. These suspects are still in pretrial detention and face multiple terrorism-related charges. France has been on the highest security alert in the months before the Olympics and Paralympics. During the Olympic preparations, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin had warned many times that security threats come from Islamic extremist organizations, violent environmental activists, far-right groups and cyberattacks from Russia or other adversaries.

In May this year, members of France's General Directorate for Internal Security had already arrested an 18-year-old Chechen man on suspicion of planning an attack on the Olympic football event to be held in the southern French city of Saint-Étienne. During the Olympics and Paralympics, France strengthened airspace defense and deployed fighter jets, attack helicopters, reconnaissance aircraft, military and police drones, etc. to patrol over Paris and Marseille, a Mediterranean port city where sailing and football events are held. Both the Paris Olympics and Paralympics were held smoothly without any targeted attacks. The efforts of the French prosecution and security departments ensured the safety of these two sports events.