French authorities have begun an investigation into a foiled terror attack targeting the Paris headquarters of Bank of America, prosecutors said on Wednesday.
The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) said a judicial investigation has been launched on charges of "criminal association in connection with a terrorist enterprise" after the attempted attack on the night between March 27 and 28.
Prosecutors have requested that four suspects be charged and placed in pretrial detention, including three minors with no prior criminal record and one adult previously convicted in 2025 for drug trafficking, the statement said.
Late Friday night, a man was arrested while trying to ignite an explosive device outside the building of the Bank of America in Paris, broadcaster Franceinfo reported.
The suspect was intercepted with a lighter while allegedly trying to ignite a container filled with an unidentified liquid and a firecracker, which he had placed in front of the building.
A second individual reportedly fled the scene.
The suspect later told police he had been dropped off at the location and recruited via the Snapchat app in exchange for €600 ($692), according to the media outlet.
However, the PNAT statement said, the attempted attack "appears to be linked" to a group identified as Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (Hayi), although this connection has not yet been formally established.
The group has reportedly claimed responsibility recently for several attacks targeting Jewish communities in Belgium, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands, the French news broadcaster BFMTV reported.
French authorities did not provide further details on the planned attack or the method used, as investigations remain ongoing.
