PARIS — French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced on Friday that security authorities successfully foiled a planned attack on soccer events during the upcoming Paris Olympics. The plot, which targeted the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium in Saint-Etienne, southwest of Lyon, was thwarted with the arrest of an 18-year-old man from Chechnya on May 22. This arrest was executed by the General Directorate of Internal Security.

Initial investigations revealed that the suspect was preparing to attack spectators and police forces during the soccer matches hosted at the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium, one of the key venues for the Summer Games. According to the statement, the suspect intended to carry out the attack with the aim to "die and become a martyr."

The Paris Olympics are scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11, with soccer matches occurring in various cities across France before culminating in the final at Paris' Stade de France. While Darmanin did not specify a direct security threat to the soccer event, he acknowledged multiple potential threats, including those from Islamic extremist groups, violent environmental activists, far-right groups, and cyberattacks from Russia or other adversaries.

The Paris Olympics organizing committee acknowledged the arrest and commended the intelligence and security services. They emphasized that "security is the highest priority of Paris 2024," and assured that they are working closely with the Interior Ministry and other stakeholders to ensure safety, remaining fully mobilized in their efforts.

Security concerns are particularly high for the exceptional opening ceremony, which will attract more than 100 world leaders to the French capital. The ceremony will feature boats carrying athletes along the Seine River in a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) open-air parade, drawing huge crowds along the embankments. In light of these concerns, French President Emmanuel Macron indicated in April that the July 26 opening ceremony could be relocated to the country’s national stadium if the security threat is deemed too high.

Initially, organizers planned to host as many as 600,000 people, with many watching free of charge from the riverbanks. However, due to security and logistical concerns, the government has gradually reduced this number to around 300,000. Additionally, the French government decided that tourists will not have free access to watch the opening ceremony due to security concerns, limiting free access to invitation-only.

Extra security measures are also being implemented for the Olympic torch relay, which passed through the monastery outcropping of Mont-Saint-Michel on Friday, a site that attracts thousands of tourists daily.

In summary, the French interior ministry and security forces are on high alert and are taking extensive measures to ensure the safety of the Paris Olympics, especially in light of the recent foiled attack plan.