French authorities have thwarted several plots to disrupt the Paris 2024 Olympics, officials announced on Wednesday, just two days before the opening ceremony in Paris.
France has been on high alert as preparations for the Olympic Games reach the final stages, with the event officially starting on Friday with a high-security opening ceremony on the River Seine.
Paris prosecutors revealed that a 40-year-old Russian-born man was arrested on Tuesday at his Paris apartment on suspicion of planning to “destabilize the Olympic Games.” He has been charged with “conducting intelligence work on behalf of a foreign power” with the intent to “provoke hostilities in France,” crimes that could lead to a 30-year prison sentence under French law.
During a search of the suspect’s home, police found items that “raised fears of his intention to organize events likely to lead to the destabilization of the Olympic Games,” according to the prosecutor’s office.
The Games’ organizers face significant security challenges, including concerns about cyberattacks, amid high international tensions due to Russia’s war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. Additionally, French officials and cybersecurity experts in Europe and the United States have noted elaborate disinformation campaigns orchestrated by Russia, targeting the Olympics and France’s recent elections.
Earlier on Wednesday, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin announced on French broadcaster BFMTV that a young man was arrested in Gironde, a region in southwest France, on suspicion of “planning a violent action against the Olympic Games.” The 18-year-old was arrested on Tuesday on charges of plotting to target the “organization of the Games.”
Darmanin did not provide specific details on the suspect’s potential targets or their locations, stating only that the investigation is ongoing. “It’s been established that this person wanted to attack the Olympic Games,” Darmanin said.
To ensure security, Paris has deployed 35,000 police officers each day for the Olympics, with a peak of 45,000 for the opening ceremony. Additionally, 10,000 soldiers are participating in security operations in the Paris region. France is also receiving support from more than 40 countries, which have collectively sent at least 1,900 police reinforcements.
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