Plan to conquer soccer events Paris Olympics The plan was thwarted by French security services, officials said.
An 18-year-old man of Chechnya origin was arrested on May 22 on suspicion of being behind a planned attack on a soccer event in the southeastern city of Saint-Etienne, about 260 miles south of Paris, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said in a statement.
Initial investigations suggest the man was preparing to attack the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium in the city of Saint-Etienne, which will host several football matches during the Summer Olympics.
The planned attack targeted spectators and police forces, the statement said, adding that the suspect wanted to attack the Olympic Games “in order to die and become a martyr.”
Michelle Oyler/AP
The Paris Olympics will run from July 26 to August 11. Football matches will be played in cities across France, with the final taking place at the Stade de France in Paris.
France has raised its alert level for attacks to its highest level ahead of the Olympics, when 10 million tourists and around 10,000 athletes are expected to arrive.
Many concerns have been raised about the opening ceremony, which will be held on July 26th at a four-mile stretch of the Seine River, which will be the first time the Summer Olympics will begin anywhere other than at a track and field stadium.
French President Emmanuel Macron said in April that the opening ceremony could be moved to the country's national stadium if the security threat was deemed too high.
Macron said French law enforcement would be deployed on an exceptional basis to ensure security at outdoor events, but that “we have alternative measures ready if, based on our analysis of the situation, we decide there are risks.”
Organizers had initially planned a grand opening ceremony drawing as many as 600,000 spectators, most of whom would watch for free from the riverside, but safety and logistical concerns led the government to gradually scale back those plans. Earlier this year, the total number was reduced to about 300,000.
The French government has also decided not to allow tourists free access to the opening ceremony due to security concerns. Instead, free viewing will be by invitation only.
