France Arrests 4 on Suspicion of Plotting Terrorist Attacks

Four individuals reportedly were arrested in France since the beginning of this week on suspicion of plotting terrorist attacks in the country.

PARIS (Sputnik) — Four individuals were arrested in France since the beginning of this week on suspicion of plotting terrorist attacks in the country, the French LCI TV channel reported Wednesday.

According to the local media, the four individuals are suspected of plotting terrorist attacks in French departments of Bouches-du-Rhone, Rhone and Yvelines.

Some of those detained have reportedly returned to France from Syria, where they fought alongside jihadists.

Earlier on Wednesday, French President Francois Hollande said that the country’s law enforcement officers have prevented several terrorist attacks this week.

Holande said that French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve would make a statement on the matter Thursday.

Last week, unidentified persons broke into a military base in France’s southern department of Bouches-du-Rhone, stealing detonators, explosives and grenades. Investigators did not rule out that the thieves had been planning a terrorist attack.

France has been on high alert for terrorism since Islamists attacked the Paris offices of the Charlie Hebdo magazine in January, killing 12 people.

Late in June, an attack on a US chemical plant in the southeastern French town of Saint-Quentin-Fallavie left one person dead and two injured.