A football stadium terror plot has been foiled by French police just weeks before the 2024 Olympic Games are set to take place in the country. France has been on high alert for terrorism in the build-up to the games and the news is unlikely to calm the nerves of those with tickets to Olympic events.
The French Interior Minister, Geral Darmanin, confirmed on Friday that French Police have arrested an 18-year-old in Saint-Etienne. The teenager was reportedly preparing to attack the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium in the city during the Olympics with the stadium set to host several football matches during the games.
The investigation found that the 18-year-old was planning on targeting spectators in the 42,000-seater stadium and that it was a suicide mission. Investigators believe that the suspected terrorist wanted to ‘die and become a martyr' according to Darmanin. He added that the suspect was inspired by Islamic State ideology.
According to reports, the teenager was caught after exchanging encrypted messages with other known terrorists. After he was arrested, photos and videos of the stadium were reportedly found on his electronic devices.
Football stadium terror plot the latest concern ahead of Paris 2024
The foiled attack on the French Stadium is positive in that it displays French intelligence is top of potential terrorism ahead of the games. However, it is negative in that it is the latest piece of evidence that is causing so many to worry about the Olympics.
There are concerns about the grand and open nature of the opening ceremony which will see athletes sail down the River Seine. Security fears have already scaled back attendance numbers from 600,000 to 300,000 and President Macron has suggested that the ceremony could be scaled back further if the security risk is deemed too high.
When a sports event doubles as a militarized spectacle: To securitize the #Paris2024 Olympics, France has asked its foreign allies to send several thousand members of their security forces to guard the Games. France is now on its highest terrorism alert level. https://t.co/gwR78Yw94B
— Jules Boykoff (@JulesBoykoff) March 29, 2024
The French government are using 20,000 soldiers and 40,000 police officers for security at the Olympics while thousands of troops and police officers from other countries are also being drafted in. Meanwhile, security services have been screening one million people involved in the Games to ensure maximum safety.
Responding to the arrest, the Paris Olympics organising committee said in a statement: “We applaud the efficiency of the law enforcement services and their exceptional mobilisation to ensure the security of the Games.”
The 2024 Olympic Games will begin on the 26th of July and finish on the 11th of August.