Three Planned Attacks on Paris Olympics Foiled by French Authorities Amid Heightened Security

French authorities successfully prevented three planned attacks aimed at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris and other host cities. National counterterrorism prosecutor Olivier Christen reported that the plots included plans to target “Israeli institutions or representatives of Israel in Paris” during the Olympics from July 26 to August 11.

However, Christen clarified that the Israeli team was not a specific target, and no further details were disclosed.

Five individuals, including one minor, were arrested in connection with these thwarted plots. These suspects are currently facing various terrorism-related charges while in pretrial detention. The disruption of these plots occurred against the backdrop of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and the war in Ukraine, which amplified the security measures around the Games.

In the months leading up to the Olympics and Paralympics, which concluded last week, France had been on its highest security alert. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin had highlighted potential threats from Islamic extremist groups, violent environmental activists, far-right factions, and possible cyberattacks from adversaries like Russia.

In May, an 18-year-old man from Chechnya was arrested by the General Directorate of Internal Security. He was suspected of planning an attack on soccer events in Saint-Étienne, targeting “bar-type establishments around the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium” as part of a plot-driven by Islamic State ideology.

To address these threats, French authorities increased preventive measures, including a significant rise in house searches and arrests. In 2024, there were 936 house searches compared to 153 in the previous year. Additionally, France enhanced its airspace defenses with the deployment of warplanes, helicopters, surveillance aircraft, and drones.

The French Air and Space Force conducted over 750 flight hours in 350 missions, resulting in 90 interceptions, primarily of civilian drones, leading to the arrest of 85 operators.