PARIS — The French interior minister said Friday that security authorities foiled a plot to attack football events during the Paris Olympics.
Gerald Darmanin said in a statement that members of the General Directorate of Internal Security arrested an 18-year-old man from Chechnya on May 22 on suspicion of being behind a plan to attack football events taking place in the city of Saint-Etienne. , southwest of Lyon.
According to the initial investigation, the man was preparing an attack on 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, said the communicated. The suspect wanted to attack the Olympic events “to die and become a martyr,” the statement said.
The Paris Olympics will take place from July 26 to August. 11. Football matches will take place in cities across France before the final at the Stade de France in Paris.
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