French authorities detained two new suspects in connection with a bombing near the Bank of America office in Paris, which officials said may be linked to the Middle East conflict.
The arrests follow the detention on Saturday of the original suspect, a minor, who remains in custody, the counter-terrorism prosecutor’s office said.
The bomb in Paris was planted by minors or young people who were paid to carry out the plan, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on Saturday, drawing similarities to recent events in other European countries including the Netherlands and Norway.
Paris police saw two people plant a bomb in front of the bank’s offices on Rue de la Boétie in the city’s eighth arrondissement, between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. Saturday (Paris time), according to Nunez. One person was preparing to turn on the device, while the other was recording.
The first suspect detained told authorities he had contacted her via Snapchat and paid €600 ($1000) for the job, Parisian information.
The French authorities have increased security measures in Jewish areas and the United States since the beginning of the conflict in the Middle East. The Paris judicial police and the country’s domestic intelligence agency, DGSI, are also involved in the investigation.
Bloomberg
