France: Arson Attack Disrupts French Rail Network Ahead of Paris Olympics

PARIS: Hours before the commencement of Paris Olympics 2024 France's high-speed rail network was severely disrupted by coordinated arson attack on Friday. Officials are calling it premeditated sabotage. Fires targeting the Atlantic. Fires targeting northern. Fires targeting eastern rail lines led to extensive cancellations. Delays impacted nearly 80,000 passengers during the peak summer travel period.

EuroAirport situated on the Franco-Swiss border, was temporarily evacuated. It has since reopened and resumed limited flight operations. Another nearby airport. Basel-Mulhouse was also closed as precautionary measure. Passengers were being evacuated for "safety reasons" according to officials.

Jean-Pierre Farandou, CEO of SNCF the national rail operator, revealed that the fires were started in conduits carrying multiple fiber optic cables essential for train safety. Repairing the damage is a complex task. It requires hundreds of workers to manually fix the bundled cables. Farandou noted the extensive damage. He warned of significant delays with trains between Paris and northern and eastern France experiencing delays of up to two hours.

Christophe Fanichet head of passenger services at SNCF, urged travelers to avoid stations if they have not received updates. Many trains are not operating. French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal described the incident as serious act of sabotage. It has major consequences for the rail network.

The attack occurred as Paris prepares to host the Olympics. There are heightened security measures in place. Nearly 300000 spectators are expected to attend, including numerous VIPs. The Olympic parade will feature about 7500 athletes. They will be traveling six kilometers across the Seine River in approximately 85 boats.

SNCF CEO Farandou mentioned that unauthorized individuals were spotted by rail workers. It was during routine maintenance in central France. The culprits fled upon police arrival. Although one major railway branch to France’s southeast remained unaffected. Train services between Paris and London were also canceled.

French officials condemned the attack as criminal act potentially punishable by 15 to 20 years in prison. Sources are investigating the perpetrators. The method of arson bears similarities. These are to previous far-left attacks in France. No direct link to the Olympics has been established. France has seen multiple attempts to disrupt the games. This includes a recent arrest of a Russian national. This individual is suspected of trying to destabilize the event.

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