French police, in the early hours of Saturday morning, arrested a man who attempted to detonate a homemade explosive device in front of a branch of the American bank Bank of America in central Paris. The incident took place around 3:30 a.m. on Rue de la Boétie in the prestigious 8th arrondissement of Paris, just a few streets from the Champs-Élysées. The bank's office was closed at the time of the incident and no one was injured. France 24 ↗
The device consisted of a five-liter canister filled with flammable liquid and a metal pipe containing approximately 650 grams of explosive powder with an ignition system. The suspect was detained on the spot at the moment he attempted to activate the device. The entire device was taken to the Paris police forensic laboratory for analysis. CBS News ↗
According to investigators, the suspect stated that he was recruited through the Snapchat application and was promised 600 euros for carrying out the attack. He was reportedly driven to the scene by a driver. Spiegel ↗
The arrested man was accompanied by a second man who, according to a police source, stayed in the background to document the entire attack on his mobile phone. When a police patrol arrived at the scene, the accomplice fled and is still at large. France 24 ↗
France's National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) immediately opened an investigation. The suspect faces charges of attempted destruction by fire in connection with a terrorist enterprise, manufacturing and possession of an explosive device, and participation in a terrorist criminal conspiracy. The DGSI, France's domestic intelligence service, is also involved in the investigation. Al Jazeera ↗
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez described the incident as a violent act of a terrorist nature. On the social network X, he wrote: "Bravo to the swift intervention of the Paris police prefecture patrol, which made it possible to thwart a violent terrorist action last night in Paris." He also emphasized that the vigilance of security forces remains at the highest level given the current international situation. France 24 ↗
According to a source close to the investigation, the attack may be linked to Iranian threats against American and Israeli interests in Europe. Since the outbreak of the war in the Middle East approximately a month ago, several European countries have strengthened security measures to protect Iranian dissidents, Jewish places of worship, and American and Israeli institutions. According to available information, the Bank of America building in Paris had already been under increased surveillance before the incident due to previous threats. France 24 ↗
Bank of America spokesperson Jessica Oppenheim confirmed that the company is aware of the situation and is in communication with the relevant authorities. CBS News ↗
This is one of the first recorded attempts to attack American interests in Europe since the outbreak of the conflict in the Middle East. In response to the war, France raised its security level to the highest tier, and police patrols have been reinforced around sensitive sites throughout the country. Al Jazeera ↗
Thwarted attack in Paris: Man attempted to detonate a bomb in front of Bank of America, counterterrorism prosecutors investigating
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