French anti-terrorism authorities thwarted an attempted attack early Saturday morning when police arrested a suspect as he tried to ignite an explosive device directly in front of the Bank of America headquarters in Paris.
The incident unfolded around 3:25-3:30 a.m. when officers from the Paris police's BAC (Brigade Anti-Criminalité) unit, already on heightened patrol near the building due to prior threats, spotted the individual attempting to set fire to the device with a lighter. The device consisted of a 5-liter transparent jerrycan filled with an unidentified flammable liquid (reportedly a hydrocarbon such as gasoline) attached to a mortar-style tube or large firecracker containing approximately 650 grams of explosive powder. No detonation occurred, and there were no injuries or damage.
A second individual, believed to have been acting as a lookout, fled the scene on foot. The arrested suspect, a 17-year-old minor born in Senegal and residing in a Paris suburb, was taken into custody. During initial questioning, he reportedly claimed he had been dropped off at the location by a driver and was recruited via the social media app Snapchat for a payment of €600 to carry out the act.
According to Le Monde, France’s Parquet National Antiterroriste (PNAT), the national anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office, immediately opened a formal investigation. The probe is being conducted in flagrante delicto on charges including:
- Attempted degradation by fire or dangerous means in connection with a terrorist undertaking
- Manufacturing, possession, and transport of an incendiary or explosive device in a terrorist context
- Participation in a terrorist criminal association
The Paris judicial police’s anti-terrorism section and France’s domestic intelligence agency, the DGSI, are leading the inquiry alongside judicial police units. The device was secured and sent for analysis by the Paris police prefecture’s central laboratory.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez praised the officers’ swift action on social media, stating: “Bravo to the rapid intervention of a Paris prefecture crew that allowed thwarting a violent action of a terrorist nature this night in Paris. Vigilance remains more than ever at a high level.”
A spokeswoman for Bank of America confirmed the company was “aware of the situation” and is cooperating with French authorities. The building had reportedly been under increased surveillance due to previous threats, including a recent video from a pro-Iran group that singled out the bank as a target linked to “Zionist and Israeli interests.”
This foiled plot occurs against a backdrop of heightened terrorist threat levels in France and Europe, with authorities maintaining elevated vigilance amid ongoing international tensions. The investigation continues, with efforts focused on identifying any broader network or accomplices. No further arrests have been reported as of Saturday afternoon.
The suspect remains in police custody, and authorities have not yet released additional details about his background or possible motives. Updates are expected as the probe advances.