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Trains targeted in Paris, national disruptions |
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Posted by Orange Blossom Special on Fri Jul 26 11:03:04 2024 France’s high-speed rail network was hit Friday with widespread and “criminal” acts of vandalism including arson attacks, paralyzing travel to Paris from across the rest of France and Europe only hours before the grand opening ceremony of the Olympics.French officials condemned the attacks as “criminal actions,” though they said there was no sign of a direct link to the Games, and prosecutors in Paris opened a national investigation saying the crimes could carry sentences of 15 to 20 years. “It’s a hell of a way to start the Olympics,” said Sarah Moseley, a 42-year-old traveler waiting at the Gare du Nord station in Paris as she learned that her train to London was delayed by the rail chaos. As Paris authorities geared up for a spectacular parade on and along the Seine River, three fires were reported near the tracks on the high-speed lines of Atlantique, Nord and Est, causing disruptions that affected hundreds of thousands of travelers. Among them were two German athletes in showjumping who were on a train to Paris to take part in the opening ceremony but had to turn back in Belgium because of the closures, and will now miss the ceremony, German news agency dpa reported. “There was no longer a chance of making it on time,” rider Philipp Weishaupt, who was traveling with teammate Christian Kukuk, told dpa. The attack occurred against a backdrop of global tensions and heightened security measures as the city prepared for the 2024 Olympic Games. Many travelers were planning to converge on the capital for the opening ceremony, and many vacationers were also in transit. French authorities have foiled several plots to disrupt the Olympics, including arresting a Russian man on suspicion of planning to destabilize the games. [AP won't mention the multiple islamoextremists though, only one Russian man so we're moving on] BRUSSELS, July 26 (Reuters) – Seven people who were detained in Belgium on Thursday on suspicion of terrorism after police raided houses remain in custody on Friday, the state prosecutor’s spokesperson said. A judge will decide later on Friday whether they will be charged, the spokesperson said. Belgian media reported that investigators did not want to take any risks so close to the Olympic Games in Paris. But the prosecutor’s office did not respond to a Reuters’ question about a possible connection to the Games, whose opening ceremony will take place on Friday evening. |
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