Russian arrested in France for plotting to destabilise Paris Olympics

On July 23, French police arrested a Russian national suspected of planning destabilizing activities during the Paris Olympic Games.

An anonymous source in the prosecutor’s office told AFP that an investigation had been launched into “disclosure of intelligence information to a foreign power for the purpose of inciting hostilities in France.”

Criminal investigations are underway against the suspect, who was born in 1984, and the crime could result in a prison sentence of up to 30 years.

During a search of his home, authorities found evidence of his plans. No further details were released about the alleged attack, except that it had nothing to do with terrorism and that the case was not being handled by specialized anti-terrorism prosecutors.

More than a million people, including athletes and locals, were screened for the Games. 4,360 were denied entry and 880 were barred for fear of foreign interference.

The French government has introduced a verification system for anyone wishing to attend the event or enter restricted areas due to cybersecurity, disinformation and terrorism threats related to the Olympic Games.

“In addition to intelligence work and traditional espionage, there is the possibility of gaining access to computer network gateways in order to carry out a cyber attack,” said French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin.

The 2024 Summer Olympics will take place from July 26 to August 11.

Three Serbian arms factory engineers arrested for spying for “foreign organization”

The three men are accused of “unauthorizedly stealing confidential business documents from this company and handing them over to a foreign organization,” said a statement from Serbian police quoted by AFP.