France’s sports minister said she ruled out Russian sabotage after arson caused chaos on the country’s high-speed rail network hours before the opening rite of the Paris Olympics.
Trains to the French capital were paralyzed after “malicious” fires on two key rail services disrupted trains. A third attack was thwarted, but the Eurostar between London and Paris was also attacked for vandalism and passengers were asked not to travel.
“A major attack took place the night before to paralyze the high-speed rail network,” SNCF, the French rail network, said in a statement.
The nightmare of adventure came as the eyes of the world were on the opening rite of the 2024 Olympics on Friday, with thousands of athletes descending the Seine River in front of up to 300,000 spectators.
French Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castera told Sky News that the fires were “probably coordinated” but that France was prepared for “all scenarios. “
“This is sabotage on a large scale,” he added. When she was asked by Sky’s correspondent whether the arson had been committed via Russia or a terrorist group, she reportedly replied: “Maybe. “
“They may also be protesters, or even French,” he added.
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said in a message in X that “acts of sabotage were carried out in an immediate and coordinated manner at the SNCF facilities. The consequences for the railway network are great and serious. “
“Our intelligence and law enforcement agencies are mobilized to locate and punish the perpetrators of these criminal acts,” he added.
SNCF leader Jean-Pierre Farrandou said more than 800,000 commuters had been affected by the disruptions.
French railway officials said the attacks occurred near Arras, about 160 kilometers north of Paris, on the line linking the capital with Lille, at around 4 a. m. local time. A second firing position broke out at Courtalain, about 90 miles southwest of Paris. The third arson attack, foiled, took place on the line linking Paris with southwestern France.
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