Russians held in France over ‘planned attack’
From the French edition of The Local
Five people suspected of plotting to carry out an attack in France were arrested last night in southern France, the local prosecutor Yvon Calvet announced on Tuesday.
Four of the men aging from 24 to 37-years-old were held in the town of Saint-Jean-de-Vedas, near Montpellier and one was picked up in Béziers, around 70km away. The five suspects, Russian nationals from Chechnya, were placed in custody in Béziers and their homes have been searched, the prosecutor said.
The prosecutor said certain “products” had been recovered during their searches, without giving further details.
According to the regional newspaper Midi Libre, “a cache of explosives was discovered not far from the Sauclières stadium.”
One of those arrested lives in Béziers and another “probably” in the Mediterranean city of Montpellier, said the prosecutor. Investigators are trying to find the addresses of three other individuals held in custody.
Le Progres newspaper reported on Tuesday of another counter-terrorism operation in Lyon, last September, which saw two brothers arrested when police feared they were ready to mount an attack.