French police have intensified their investigation into a foiled attack on Bank of America’s Paris headquarters, arresting two additional suspects. The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) confirmed that five individuals are now in custody, including three minors detained after Saturday’s attempted attack using a homemade explosive device, and two adults taken into custody on Monday. The plot involved a device comprising an ignition system and five litres of liquid, believed to be fuel, placed outside the US financial institution near the Champs-Elysees in the city’s 8th arrondissement.
The first detainee, who claimed to be a minor from Senegal, was arrested after positioning the device. Police sources indicated that he allegedly confessed to being recruited via the Snapchat app to carry out a bombing in exchange for 600 euros ($688). During the incident, he was accompanied by a second individual who appeared to be recording photos and videos with a mobile phone but fled upon police arrival. It remains unclear whether this apparent accomplice is among the five currently held.
PNAT is investigating several suspected offences, including attempted damage by fire or other dangerous means linked to a “terrorist plot,” as well as participation in a “terrorist” criminal association. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that authorities are probing a suspected connection to the Iran war, citing similarities with other recent attempted attacks in Europe for which a pro-Iran group claimed responsibility. On French radio network RTL, Nunez remarked that the “modus operandi is in every respect similar to actions that have been carried out in the Netherlands and in Belgium,” alluding to claims from a group known on Telegram as Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia.
The group, whose name translates to “Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right,” also purportedly claimed responsibility for an attack last week in London, where four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity were set ablaze in Golders Green. Nunez critically noted that intelligence services of the Iranian government allegedly operate through proxies and subcontractors, often common criminals, to execute highly targeted actions against US interests, the Jewish community, or Iranian opposition figures. This incident underscores the persistent security challenges in Europe, highlighting the complex geopolitical tensions and the ongoing struggle to combat terrorism effectively, despite claims of enhanced cooperation by Western regimes.
Source: www.aljazeera.com