A Ukrainian-Russian man has been detained on suspicion of planning a terror attack in France after he was injured in an explosion in a hotel room near Paris’s biggest airport.
The blast, in an airport hotel on Monday afternoon, came just two days before world leaders including Joe Biden, the US president, flew into the French capital for the commemorations of the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
The 26-year-old suspect suffered serious burns to his face and an arm but was able to communicate with officers from the General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSI) – France’s domestic security service.
“Products and materials intended to manufacture explosive devices” have been found at his hotel room, the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office said on Wednesday.
“One of these devices had exploded,” the prosecutors said.
“The man, of Russian and Ukrainian nationality, who was conscious despite his injuries, explained to investigators that he had built homemade batteries for mobile phones when one of them exploded,” a source from the prosecutor’s office told news outlet BFMTV.
As well as potentially improvised bomb-making equipment, DGSI investigators found “multiple passports” in the man’s luggage, the source added.
According to two sources close to the case, the man stayed at the B&B Hotel in the town of Roissy-en-France, home to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. Mr Biden flew into Orly airport.
The suspect is said to be recovering well from his injuries and cooperating with officials.
Anti-terrorism prosecutors confirmed they have opened an investigation into “participation in a terrorist criminal association with a view to preparing crimes of attacks against persons, possession of an incendiary or explosive substance or product or of elements intended to compose an explosive device with a view to preparing destruction, and damage or harm to people, in connection with a terrorist enterprise”.
France has raised its security alert to the highest level in the run-up to the Olympic Games in Paris from July 26 to Aug 11, amid numerous high-level warnings of potential Russian attacks on European soil.
Paris has indicated that Emmanuel Macron, France’s president, is also seeking to ramp up support for Ukraine, including the possible deployment of French troops to Ukraine, angering Moscow.