French detectives are continuing to investigate the culprits of a 'massive arson attack' on the country's railway network ahead of the Olympics opening ceremony.
There has been no claim of responsibility for the 'coordinated arson attack' which damaged infrastructure along key lines connecting to Paris where the opening ceremony was staged on Friday night.
The methods used by the arsonists,who set multiple fires at cabling boxes close to junctions on the North,Brittany and South-West lines,resemble those used by far-left or environmentalist protesters in the past,a security source claimed.
Although analysts also fear Moscow may be responsible with some suggesting a correlation between acts of sabotage and Russian fury over their national team being excluded from the games.
France's transport minister Patrice Vergriete said in a press conference on Saturday that the railway network was on 'high alert' following the attacks,but admitted there is 'no new evidence' surrounding the identities of the culprits.
Passengers wait for their train departures at the Gare Montparnasse train station in Paris on July 26,2024 as France's high-speed rail network was hit by malicious acts disrupting the transport system
Olympic organisers have long feared acts of sabotage targeting the multi-billion pound games,and a vast security operation costing £350million has unfolded in Paris to try and counter threats.
The largest peacetime deployment of forces in France's history involves some 75,000 soldiers,police and private security agents.
Gérald Darmanin,France's Interior Ministry,said 'the terrorist threat remains high' and that 'a high level of vigilance' remains essential.
On Thursday, Israel's Foreign Minister,Israel Katz,alerted the French foreign ministry to a potential terror threat in a diplomatic note on Thursday,expressing his fear that Iran might target Israelis during the Olympic Games.
'We have intelligence indicating that Iranian operatives and other terrorist groups are planning to target members of the Israeli delegation and Israeli tourists,' Katz said in his warning,according to Israeli media.
This comes as French cops detained an alleged jihadist over suspicions of a terror plot targeting the Olympics.
The 18-year-old man from Gironde,a region in southwest France,was arrested on Thursday,with police reportedly finding evidence for him believing jihadist ideology,according to local media.
Investigators confirmed to local media that the was connected to another man,also 18,who was taken into custody on Tuesday.
The two allegedly communicated on an encrypted messaging service,where they reportedly wrote that they wanted to commit a 'violent action' against the Olympics soon.
RussiaMoscowFranceIranOlympics
© OfficialAffairs
