French authorities foil plan to attack football events during Paris Olympics

The suspect wanted to attack the Olympic events 'to die and become a martyr'

A policeman walking past Olympic signage at the French National Assembly, Paris. File picture: Adam Davy/PA Wire.

Security authorities have foiled a plan to attack football events during the Paris Olympics, the French interior minister said on Friday.

Gerald Darmanin said in a statement that an 18-year-old man from Chechnya was arrested on May 22 on suspicion of being behind a plan to attack football events that will be held in the city of Saint-Etienne, southwest of Lyon.