France’s anti-terrorist service has arrested a 16-year-old boy after he posted on social media that he wanted to die as a “martyr” at the Paris Olympics this summer, a spokeswoman for the service said on Wednesday, confirming an earlier report by BFMtv.
“He was arrested after he publicly announced on social networks that he was planning to make a belt of explosives in order to become a martyr,” she said, adding that an investigation is ongoing into whether he had a true intention to commit a terrorist act.
The conflict in the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as the threat of attacks by radical elements, have led France, which is hosting the Olympic Games this summer, to raise the level of threat to its security to the highest level.
The French government has asked about 45 foreign countries to hire several thousand additional military, police and civilian personnel to help protect the Paris Olympics this summer, government sources told Reuters last month.
