Paris: The attack on the high-speed rail network a day before the opening of the Olympic Games in France is being described as well planned. The attack, which took place just hours before the opening of the Olympics, forced a large number of players to return home. This attack took place on trains going to Paris. The high-speed rail network came to a complete standstill today due to widespread ‘criminal’ incidents including arson and travel to Paris from France and the rest of Europe was disrupted just hours before the opening ceremony of the Olympics.
French officials condemned the incident, calling the attacks a ‘criminal act’. At the same time, prosecutors in Paris began investigating the matter and said that the culprits could be sentenced to 15 to 20 years for these crimes. In Paris, officials were preparing to organize a grand parade on the Seine River and its banks, but reports of arson were received near the tracks on the high-speed lines of Atlantic, Nord and Est. Due to the incidents of arson, rail traffic was disrupted and thousands of passengers were affected.
2 German athletes returned to Belgium
According to the news of German news agency ‘DPA’, two German athletes travelling in a train to Paris to participate in the opening ceremony had to return to Belgium due to the closure of the railway route and now they will not be able to attend the ceremony. Philip Weishaupt, a fellow rider of the team traveling with Christian Kukuk, told DPA, “There is no question of reaching on time now. Similarly, players from many other countries have also returned.” French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said on ‘X’ that French intelligence services have been put to work to find the criminals. Attal described these incidents as ‘well-planned and coordinated’. However, there is no news of anyone being injured in these incidents.
These were recovered from the spot
Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete informed about the recovery of people fleeing from the place of arson and incendiary equipment. “All this indicates that the accused set the fires deliberately,” he said. Vergritte told BFM television that the incidents have paralysed several high-speed lines linking Paris to the rest of France and neighbouring countries. French national rail company SNCF said areas affecting rail track intersections were targeted in order to double the impact of the incidents.
“Two destinations were affected by one act of arson,” the company’s chief executive Jean-Pierre Farandou said. “These were well-planned, premeditated and coordinated attacks, aimed at causing serious harm to the French people,” Farandou said.
