Three people are arrested in Paris after attempted bomb attack near the Champs-Élysées ‘which could be linked to US-Iran war’
Three people were arrested near the Champs-Élysées on Saturday after the foiling of a suspected terrorist plot that could be linked to the US-Iran war.
The alarm was raised when a man allegedly tried to plant a makeshift incendiary device near the Paris headquarters of Bank of America, in the French capital.
According to a police source, the device contained approximately five liters of liquid, believed to be fuel, and an ignition mechanism.
While officers arrived at the scene and detained the first suspect, a second person who recorded the incident on his mobile phone escaped before the police could catch them.
The incident occurred at around 03:30 local time (01:30 GMT) on Saturday in Paris’ prestigious 8th arrondissement, located a short distance from the world-famous Champs-Élysées.
In a rapid development, France’s anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office confirmed the arrest of two more suspects on Sunday as part of the widening investigation.
“Two more people were detained last night within the scope of the investigation launched on March 28, 2026 regarding crimes committed against Bank of America,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement on Sunday.
Authorities also said the first suspect, a minor, remained in custody after his detention was extended under France’s strict anti-terrorism laws.
Three people arrested on suspicion of terrorist attack near Champs-Élysées
Police officers and police vehicles are seen near the Bank of America branch in Paris, France, March 28, 2026.
According to French legislation, people detained in connection with terrorism cases can be detained for up to 96 hours, and this period can be extended further with the permission of the judge.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez suggested that the attempted terrorist attack could be linked to rising tensions in the Middle East, particularly the ongoing US-Israeli war involving Iran.
‘In such conflicts, there are a number of Iranian services that are likely to carry out such actions through proxies,’ he said.
‘There is serious suspicion but it is the job of the investigation to determine this.’
However, the Iranian embassy in France has not yet responded to the minister’s remarks.
Investigators are trying to determine whether the suspects acted alone or as part of a wider network, as fears of retaliatory attacks grow across Europe.
Nuñez warned that similar plans had been thwarted in several countries, including France, the Netherlands, Britain and Norway, and called for increased vigilance across the country.
He called on security services to be ‘extra careful’ and increase their presence in transport hubs and other sensitive spots.
France’s anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office confirmed that it had immediately taken over the case, which focused on allegations of ‘attempted damage by fire or other dangerous means in connection with a terrorist enterprise’ and ‘terrorist criminal conspiracy’.
Specialist officers from the Paris judicial police and agents from France’s domestic intelligence agency, the General Directorate of Internal Security, are currently leading this important investigation.
