A large-scale operation was carried out on rue Victor Hugo in Épinal this Thursday morning. Territorial intelligence had raised the alarm as to the possible presence of a person alleged to be part of the Islamist movement and therefore likely to prepare a terrorist attack, according to Lorraine media reports.
Special RAID units and the police were on the scene all morning. According to Vosges Matin, a suspect was arrested around midday after products were discovered at his home that could be used to manufacture explosives. The public prosecutor of Épinal indicated that the anti-terrorist prosecutor’s office was aware of the case. However, he did not wish to comment on the suspect’s identity and his criminal record.
As a precaution, school and college students nearby were confined, according to France Bleu Lorraine. The prefecture denied this and said that “no containment measure” was necessary, before receiving criticism from parents whose children had been locked up in their schools.
Other local premises were evacuated, such as a temporary agency. Residents of the building in question were also evacuated. Checks were later carried out in other streets of the city.
