France foiled 3 attack plots targeting Paris Olympics, prosecutor says

French authorities foiled three plots to attack the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris and other cities that hosted the summer events, the national counterterrorism prosecutor said Wednesday.

Olivier Christen said the plots included plans to attack " Israeli institutions or representatives of Israel in Paris" during the July 26-Aug. 11 Olympic competition. The prosecutor told broadcaster France Info that "the Israeli team itself was not specifically targeted." He didn't give further details.

In all, five people, including a minor, were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the three foiled plots against the Summer Games, which were held against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war and Russia's war in Ukraine. The suspects are facing various terrorism-related charges while they remain in pretrial detention, the prosecutor said.

France was on its highest security alert in the months ahead of the Olympics and Paralympics, which wrapped up last week. During preparations for the Games, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin repeatedly warned that security threats included those from Islamic extremist groups, violent environmental activists, far-right groups and cyberattacks from Russia or other adversaries.

In May, members of the General Directorate of Internal Security arrested an 18-year-old man from Chechnya on suspicion of being behind a plan to attack Olympic soccer events that were held in the southern city of Saint-Etienne.

The planned attack was to target "bar-type establishments around the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium," the prosecutor said. The suspect is accused of planning "a violent action" on behalf of the Islamic State group's jihadi ideology.

Jihadists threats dominated the foiled plots and 80 per cent of legal