French police prevented an apparent bomb attack outside a Bank of America building in central Paris early on Saturday, arresting a man just as he was about to detonate a homemade explosive device, officials said.
The incident occurred at around 3:30 am local time in the city's 8th arrondissement, a few streets from the Champs-Élysées. According to a source close to the case, the suspect had placed a device containing five litres of liquid, believed to be fuel, along with an ignition system.
The ignition component contained 650 grams of explosive powder, an initial assessment found. The device has been taken to the Paris police forensics lab for full analysis.
France's counterterrorism prosecutor's office has taken over the investigation and confirmed the suspect is in police custody. The probe is looking into “attempted damage by fire or other dangerous means in connection with a terrorist undertaking” and “terrorist criminal conspiracy”. The Paris judicial police and the General Directorate for Internal Security are also involved.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez praised the officers' swift action on social media, referencing “the current international situation” and heightened security concerns due to the war in the Middle East. He stated that vigilance in France “remains more than ever at a high level”.
