ANKARA: A Russian suspect was arrested in France for plotting acts of “destabilization” during the Paris Olympic Games, according to media reports.
A judicial investigation was launched on Tuesday, and the suspect was placed under temporary custody, the Paris prosecutor’s office said, according to the daily Le Parisien.
Arrested on Sunday, the 40-year-old suspect was indicted on sharing “intelligence with a foreign country to provoke hostilities in France.”
Authorities found in the suspect’s house some elements that suggest he was plotting pro-Russian operations to destabilize France during the Games, according to a source in the investigation.
Another source noted that these could be a big project that would have had serious consequences.
However, the plans were not about an attack, hence the investigation was launched into counterintelligence and not counter-terrorism, Le Parisien added.
Paris is gearing up to host the Olympic Games this year. The opening ceremony will be held on Friday on the Seine R
iver which crosses the French capital’s heart.
Source: Anadolu Agency