Paris will face major disruption ahead of Olympic Games opening ceremony, says police chief
IndependentApr 21
French Police Foil Alleged Olympics Terrorism Plot
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Above: French Police officers stand guard in front of the Terminal 1at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport during an unveiling ceremony of the Olympic Rings on April 23, 2024 in Roissy-en-France, France. Image copyright: Chesnot/Contributor/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
French authorities have announced that a plot targeting spectators and police forces at the upcoming Paris Olympics was foiled with the arrest of an 18-year-old man of Chechen origin on May 22.
According to the anti-terror prosecutor's office, the suspect was charged with terrorist conspiracy and is currently in pre-trial detention for allegedly planning an "Islamist-inspired" attack in Saint-Ettiene.
The Spin
Narrative A
As anticipated, preparations for the Paris Olympics have exhausted French officials involved in securing the event months before its beginning. Despite France long being marred by terrorism incidents, the national government neglected warnings that could have boosted security ahead of the Games.
Narrative B
That the Paris Games would increase the threat of terror strikes in France was quite obvious — particularly as the war in Gaza boosted what is known as "atmospheric jihadism." Yet, that doesn't mean that the Olympics are doomed, as intelligence services have successfully dealt with jihadists over the past decade.
