French authorities reported this Thursday (2) that they have reinforced security in strategic locations in Paris after a failed attack attempt on a US bank.
According to police in the French capital, a man and three minors were arrested for their involvement in the action, which aimed to detonate an explosive device in an American bank branch. There is also suspicion of involvement of a pro-Iran group in the act.
A source familiar with the case told France 24 on condition of anonymity that a man in his twenties and resident of a Paris suburb was charged with “terrorist criminal conspiracy” and held in custody.
Investigators from the French anti-terrorism agency are analyzing whether the first suspect recruited teenagers to place an explosive device outside the American financial institution near the famous Champs-Élysées avenue.
Preliminary analyzes indicate that he had offered three minors between 500 and 1,000 euros (US$580 to US$1,160) for the work, the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) reported earlier this Thursday, adding that the incident may have links to a previously little-known pro-Iran group, although no concrete relationship has been established so far.
Since the start of the war between the US, Israel and Iran in the Middle East on February 28, European countries have reported a series of incidents involving attempted attacks.
