France Foils Iranian Terror Plot, Interior Minister Warns of Sunni-Shiite Alliance
A 17-year-old teenager was arrested Friday after allegedly being recruited by the Iranian regime to carry out violent attacks against synagogues and other places of worship in France.
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French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau claimed today (Monday) that the Iranian regime was recruiting young French men to carry out terrorist acts on the country's territory. His remarks were made in reference to the recent American attack on Iran.
In an interview with the LCI network, Retailleau said that the 17-year-old, who was arrested on Friday in the province of Sarte, was recruited by the Iranian regime and planned to carry out terrorist attacks against places of worship, including synagogues.
"A 17-year-old boy was arrested in Sarthe last Friday," the French interior minister said, explaining that the boy "wanted to plan attacks against places of worship, including synagogues, sex shops and venues."
He noted that the suspect who was arrested was affiliated with the "Islamic State" (ISIS). After his arrest, the young man was charged on Friday with "conspiracy to criminal terrorism with the aim of committing crimes against people and placed in pre-trial detention," the National Police (PNAT) said. The minor is suspected of "planning a violent action in national territory," a source told AFP.
In the interview, Retailleau also expressed concern about a "new risk" that has recently emerged and could affect the security situation in France: a surprising alliance between Sunnis and Shiites, who have been rivals until now. According to him, the "temporary number two" in the Sunni Muslim Brotherhood movement (from which the terrorist organization Hamas emerged) sent a letter to the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, announcing that he would support him – with the aim of uniting Sunnis and Shiites into a 'single Muslim community'.