French authorities have opened an investigation into a foiled attack targeting the Paris headquarters of Bank of America after police detained a suspect who was allegedly attempting to ignite an explosive device outside the building. In a social media post on Sunday, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that swift police intervention had “thwarted a violent terrorist attack” in the French capital the previous night.
French newspaper Le Parisien cited a police source as saying the suspect was arrested at approximately 3:25 AM local time (02:25 GMT) on Saturday outside the bank’s headquarters in the city’s 8th arrondissement as he tried to light a device consisting of a five-liter container filled with an unidentified liquid and an explosive charge made up of about 650 grams of powder. The suspect was taken into custody, while a second individual present fled the scene and remains at large.
The National Terrorism Prosecution Office informed the Reuters news agency that the suspected offenses include attempted destruction by fire or other dangerous means in connection with a “terrorist plot,” as well as the making, possession, and transport of an incendiary or explosive device with intent to carry out dangerous damage. The probe also encompasses a charge of participation in a “terrorist” criminal association, covering potential links to accomplices or a broader network.
“Vigilance remains at a very high level,” Nunez said on X, thanking “security and intelligence forces, who are fully mobilized under my authority” in what he called the “current international context,” seemingly referencing the escalating situation in parts of the Middle East amid the US-Israeli war on Iran. Earlier in the week, Nunez had noted that authorities had stepped up personal protection for some figures from the Iranian opposition and increased security around sites at risk of being targeted, including those linked to US interests and the Jewish community.
A spokesperson for Bank of America told Reuters the organization was “aware of the situation” and “communicating with the authorities.” The device was taken to the Paris police’s forensics lab for full analysis.
Source: www.aljazeera.com