A man from Russia has been detained by French authorities on suspicion of planning to “destabilise” the Olympic Games Paris 2024, Nine News has reported.
A statement from the Paris prosecutor’s office has confirmed that a 40-year-old Russian man was arrested on Tuesday at his Paris apartment.
He was charged with “conducting intelligence work on behest of a foreign power” and attempting to “provoke hostilities in France.”
Authorities searched the man’s home and found items that “raised fears of his intention to organise events likely to lead to destabilisation of the Olympic Games“, prosecutors said.
If found guilty, he is looking at a 30-year sentence in France, per the statement.
On Wednesday, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin informed the public that they had foiled a separate plot to attack the Olympics.
In an interview with French broadcaster BFMTV, he revealed that an 18-year-old was arrested in Gironde, a region in the south-west of France, on suspicion of “planning a violent action against the Olympic Games”.
The teen was arrested by police on Tuesday on suspicion that he was planning to target the “organisation of the Games”.
Darmanin did not provide further details but assured the public that authorities are “still working on this case … [we] avoid giving details … but we think there is a link.”
“It’s been established that this person wanted to attack the Olympic Games.”
Police and military are currently patrolling the streets of Paris. (Credit: Getty)
It comes after two members of Channel Nine’s Olympics coverage staff were attacked during an attempted robbery on Monday night and an Australian tourist was allegedly gang-raped.
French police are still investigating the attack that left a 25-year-old woman seeking refuge in a kebab shop on Saturday morning with her dress partially torn off after the alleged rape. No arrests have been made at this time.
As for the Nine staff, two radio technicians escaped serious injury after a group of people allegedly tried to steal one of their backpacks on their walk home.
The two Nine staff had left the International Broadcast Centre and were making their way toward their accommodation in the north east Parisian suburb of Le Bourget when they were set upon by the assailants. The incident has been reported to police.
Reporter Christine Ahern told 3AW radio that the two staff members were “very shaken up,” but had already returned to work.
“There was no weapon used but there was quite a significant assault. The two workers managed to get away but obviously it’s a worry,” Ahern said.
Over 35,000 police officers are patrolling the streets of Paris each day for the Olympics, with a peak of 45,000 for the opening ceremony, along with 10,000 soldiers.
France will also be aided by over 40 countries that deployed at least 1,900 police reinforcements.
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