French Police Arrest Radicalized Ex-Soldier Near Air Base Ahead of Election

Former soldier, known to be radicalized, was arrested near the French Evreux military air base on suspicion of plotting an attack, according to local media.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – French police arrested earlier on Friday a former soldier, known to be radicalized, near the Evreux military air base on suspicion of plotting an attack ahead of Sunday's presidential run-off, local media reported, citing sources close to the investigation.

Upon searching the ex-soldier's car near the air base in the morning, police found a gun and Koran inside his vehicle, both of which served as the basis for the man’s arrest, L’Express news magazine said. Other weapons were discovered in a bush later in the day, the magazine added.

The 34-year-old suspect was included in the French "S" list, which is a group of individuals who are suspected of posing a threat to national security and monitored by the regional intelligence service, the media outlet specified.

On night of April 20, three days ahead of the first round of the French presidential election, a gunman killed one police officer and injured two others along with a German national who was passing by on the Avenue des Champs-Elysees in the French capital. The Daesh terror group (outlawed in Russia) reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack.