Police have arrested an 18-year-old man over plans to violently attack multiple soccer matches at the Paris Olympics, according to the Associated Press and other outlets.
Members of the General Directorate of Internal Security arrested the man in Chechnya, Russia, last week on suspicion of being behind a plan to attack the soccer events that will be held in the city of Saint-Étienne, according to a statement from Gerald Darmanin.
The Paris Olympics are scheduled for July 26-Aug. 11. Soccer matches will occur in various cities across the country. The gold medal match will be held in Stade de France.
"According to the initial investigation, the man was preparing an attack targeting the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium in the city of Saint-Étienne that will host several soccer matches during the Summer Games," the AP wrote. "The planned attack was to target spectators and police forces, the statement said. The suspect wanted to attack the Olympic events 'to die and become a martyr,' the statement also said."
France is on its highest alert level for attacks ahead of the Olympics as around 10 million visitors and 10,000 athletes are expected to be in the country for the games.
"Many concerns are focused on the opening ceremony on July 26, which will take place on a 4-mile stretch of the Seine River. It will be the first time a summer Olympics begins outside an athletics stadium," CBS News wrote. "More than 45,000 officers are set to be on duty and large swathes of the area will be closed to anyone who does not hold a ticket or is a resident, AFP reported."
