“There were three attacks that were foiled” during the Olympic period, says the national anti-terrorism prosecutor

These planned attacks were foiled in Paris and Saint-Etienne, Olivier Christen said on franceinfo on Wednesday. The main threat remains “the jihadist threat.”

“There were three attacks that were foiled at that time”during the Olympic Games period, in Saint-Étienne, but also in Paris, “against Israeli institutions or representatives of Israel in Paris and two people from Gironde”specifies Olivier Christen, national anti-terrorism prosecutor, on franceinfo Wednesday September 11. There were five indictments in total, including one minor.

“In the first half of 2024, we have approximately 3 times more proceedings in jihadist litigation than there were” in the same period in 2023, says Olivier Christen, national anti-terrorism prosecutor. The main threat remains “the jihadist threat”. “This represents 80% of the procedures opened by my public prosecutor’s office”he adds.

In detail, Olivier Christen specifies that an attack was foiled “against bar-type establishments, around the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium in Saint Etienne”. Another group had “rather planned attacks against Israeli institutions.” At the same time, two people from Gironde had planned to attack during the Olympic Games.

On May 31, Gérald Darmanin announced that a project of attack “Islamist-inspired” which targeted the football events had been foiled in Saint-Etienne (Loire) by the intelligence services. It was “of the first attack foiled against the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games”the Minister of the Interior had announced.