France's anti-terrorism prosecutor's office announced that a suspected bomb attack targeting the Bank of America headquarters in Paris has been foiled, leading to the arrest of three individuals. The incident occurred around 03:30 local time on Saturday in the city's 8th arrondissement, a few streets from the Champs-Élysées.

According to police sources, an initial suspect was detained at the scene after placing a device containing five litres of liquid, believed to be fuel, and an ignition system near the bank. A second person accompanying him, who appeared to be taking photos and videos with a mobile phone, fled when officers arrived.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez suggested the attempted attack could be linked to the US-Israel war on Iran. He stated, "In this type of conflict, you have a number of Iranian services that are likely to carry out actions such as these through proxies," adding, "There is a significant suspicion, but it is for the investigation to determine." The Iranian embassy in France has not commented on Nuñez's remarks.

On Sunday, the prosecutor's office said two more individuals were taken into police custody as part of the investigation launched on March 28, 2026, into offences against Bank of America. The custody of the first suspect, a minor, was extended. Under French law, suspects in terrorism cases can be held for 96 hours, with possible extensions by a court.

Nuñez claimed similar attacks have been foiled in other European nations, including France, the Netherlands, Britain, and Norway. He urged security services to be "extra vigilant" and increase their presence at transport hubs and other locations across the country. The anti-terrorism prosecutor's office has taken over the investigation, focusing on "attempted damage by fire or other dangerous means in connection with a terrorist undertaking" and a "terrorist criminal conspiracy," with involvement from Paris judicial police and France's domestic intelligence service.

Source: www.bbc.com