He desired to perish in a sacrificial role. - Young adult devised a scheme to target the Olympic Games
An 18-year-old was apprehended on May 22nd, marking the triumph of the Parisian investigation. The suspect was accused of plotting an Islamist-inspired assault on Geoffroy Guichard Stadium in Saint-Etienne, approximately 455 kilometers from Paris.
They were planning to target spectators and law enforcement officers, ultimately sacrificing their own life as a martyr, according to the French security forces. The upcoming Olympic Summer Games will be held in Paris, but events will also occur in the region and other areas, including Saint-Etienne in southern France.
Paris Under Constant Vigilance
Paris Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin (41, Renaissance Party) expressed gratefulness to the terrorism investigators for discovering the suspect. This is the first foiled plot in relation to the Olympic Games and the 50th thwarted plan since 2017.
The city has faced multiple jihadist attacks in the past, with the most devastating incident taking place on November 13, 2015. The attack sequence throughout Paris began with an explosion at the Stade de France during a friendly match between French and German football teams. A total of 130 people perished, and 683 were injured.
At present, there is apprehension that the Ukraine war or the war in Gaza might trigger hostile acts during the Olympic Games. With millions of viewers in town, the police remain in the peak state of alertness.
The security forces are particularly worried about the opening ceremony, which is scheduled to occur at the heart of Paris and will likely draw more than 100 heads of state and government. During this spectacle, athletes will march along the Seine in a six-kilometer procession while spectators observe from the riverside.
French President Emmanuel Macron (46, Renaissance Party) stated that if the threat to the city center is deemed too high, the ceremony scheduled for July 26th could be transferred to the Stade de France.
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