French authorities have charged and placed in provisional detention three young men suspected of planning an explosives attack on French soil, AFP reported Sunday, citing sources close to the case and confirmed by the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT).
The suspects, aged 19 to 20, include a computer science student described as “the son of an imam working in a prison” and a chemistry student, according to two sources familiar with the investigation. They were arrested on Tuesday and Wednesday in Nîmes (south) and Nantes (west) as part of an investigation launched on November 20.
The three are accused of ordering materials to manufacture improvised bombs. Sources indicated that the suspects had communicated on social media and met in person, with at least two of them allegedly attempting to construct bombs in a student dormitory.
The mayor’s office in Poitiers (west) was among the potential targets under consideration by the suspects, who are believed to have been radicalized by jihadist ideologies. However, investigators noted that “the targets are not yet confirmed at this stage of the inquiry.”
Anti-terrorism prosecutor Olivier Christen highlighted in September that “jihadist threats account for 80% of PNAT’s cases.” Christen also stated that in the first half of 2024, there were nearly three times as many such cases compared to the same period in 2023. Additionally, authorities have observed a decreasing average age among individuals investigated for violent action plans.
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