Paris foils ‘terror attack by man with bomb’ targeting Bank of America

The male suspect reportedly attempted to ignite a five-litre container filled with an unidentified liquid in the early hours of this morning.

Police then seized it, along with a 650-gram explosive charge, after being called to the Bank of America branch in the 8th Arrondissement at around 1.30 am local time.

The bank is located only a couple of streets from the French capital’s iconic Champs-Élysées.

According to French media, the suspect was with another person at the time, per Metro.

However, they reportedly fled the scene and remain at large.

When police arrived, officers rapidly approached the man and detained him before he could detonate the bomb, according to reports.

He told investigators he was recruited through Snapchat and offered £520 (€600) to carry out the detonation.

He also claimed to have been dropped off outside the bank in a car.

France’s interior minister, Laurent Nuñez, praised the ‘rapid intervention’ of the responding officers.

“Well done to the rapid intervention of a police prefecture crew, which made it possible to thwart a violent terrorist action last night in Paris,” she said.

Ms Nuñez went on to explain that the investigation had since been taken over by the anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office.

The incident follows several events across Europe as tensions remain high over the ongoing turmoil in Iran and the wider Middle East.

Other incidents have included an explosion outside a synagogue in Liège, Belgium, earlier this month.

Days later, it was followed by an arson attack on a synagogue in the Dutch city of Rotterdam.

Just last week, four ambulances that belonged to a Jewish charity in Golders Green, North London, were destroyed by arsonists.

The Metropolitan Police have since arrested and bailed two men in connection with the incident, which is being treated as an anti-Semitic hate crime.