France’s domestic intelligence agency has detained a 26-year-old Russian-Ukrainian man on suspicion of planning a violent act after he injured himself in an explosion, the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) said on Wednesday, June 5.
The man was treated by a fire brigade on Monday evening “when he suffered serious burns following an explosion,” said the prosecutors. “Products and materials intended to manufacture explosive devices” have been found at his hotel room, the PNAT said. “One of these devices had exploded,” the prosecutors said. The man suffered head injuries, according to one of the sources.
On Tuesday, the prosecutor’s office opened an investigation into suspected plans to commit a violent act. In an indication of the seriousness of the case, the man is being held by France’s domestic intelligence agency General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI) rather than the regular police. The case has also been immediately placed in the hands of specialist anti-terror prosecutors rather than criminal prosecutors.
According to two sources close to the case, the man stayed at a hotel in the town of Roissy-en-France, home to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport.
This week France is hosting high-profile commemorations of the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy. US President Joe Biden, Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine and other leaders are expected to attend the main event on Thursday.
France has raised its security alert to the highest level in the run-up to the Olympic Games in Paris from July 26 to August 11.