French Police Foil Suspected Bomb Attack Outside Paris Bank
French police foiled a suspected bomb attack early Saturday outside a Bank of America in central Paris, arresting a man moments after he allegedly placed a homemade device.
The suspect, who allegedly said he was recruited for the operation on social media, was accompanied by a second man, who took flight as officers came to arrest them.
The device, placed near the building’s entrance, reportedly contained several liters of fuel, about 23 ounces of explosive powder, and an ignition mechanism. The materials were sent to a police forensics lab for analysis.
The office was closed at the time and no one was injured. The building is in Paris’s 8th arrondissement, near the Champs-Élysées.
France’s National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor’s Office has taken over the investigation. Charges under terrorism-related laws are being considered. Authorities say the suspect was reportedly recruited online and promised payment, though a formal motive has not been released. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez praised the rapid police intervention and said security forces remain fully mobilized.
