According to new reports, French authorities foiled three different terrorism plots to attack the Olympic and Paralympic Games, both within Paris and in other host cities around the country.
Five people, including one minor, were arrested in connection to the planned attacks, with the suspects facing various charges. Their identities have not been released at this time.
French anti-terror prosecutor Olivier Christen said that at least one of the three attacks was directed at “Israeli institutions or representatives of Israel in Paris” amid the Israel-Hamas war. However, Christen reaffirmed that Israeli athletes were not the target of the planned attack.
Both before and during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the country of France was under strict security measures, many of which were directed within the city of Paris. In the center of the city, many roads and walkways were heavily restricted, with a QR code required to enter past certain checkpoints.
At the national level, other significant security measures took place before the Games, including a significant increase in house searches and house arrests by French police forces. Recent numbers indicate that over 936 house searches have occured in France so far in 2024, up significantly from the 154 reported over the same time period last year.
In addition, the nation saw a sharp increase in its airspace defences, with the government deploying war planes, attack helicopters, surveillance aircraft, military drones, and police drones to patrol the skies around Paris and the other host cities for the Games. According to recently released numbers the French Air and Space Force recorded over 750 flight hours in 350 missions, resulting in 90 interceptions.
With the large increase in security measures, both the Olympic and Paralympic Games managed to proceed safely, with the Paralympic officially wrapping up last week. However, there were certainly points where security concerns remained high. On the eve of the Olympic Games Opening Ceremonies, a coordinated arson attack on a high-speed railway just outside of Paris left many skeptical about the security of the Games. Fortunately, nobody was harmed in the attack, though it caused a large disruption to the country’s transportation system. In addition, back in May, police foiled a terrorist plot in which an 18-year-old had been planning to attack crowds at the Olympic soccer stadium in Saint-Etienne.
