Sabotage hits French railways hours before Olympics

A series of “malicious” acts, including arson, targeted France’s high-speed train lines on Friday, causing widespread disruptions and cancellations.

The attacks, described as “an attack on France” and “coordinated sabotage,” aim to disrupt travel ahead of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.

The French state railway company, SNCF, reported that multiple trains were diverted or canceled, and advised travelers to postpone their trips.

The Atlantic, Northern, and Eastern high-speed lines were impacted, with damage caused to several facilities. SNCF CEO Jean-Pierre Farandou confirmed that cables ensuring train drivers’ security were set on fire and taken apart, but the perpetrators remain unknown.

French intelligence services are “fully mobilized” to investigate the attacks, with an intelligence source suggesting that the methods used have been employed by far-left groups in the past.

However, no evidence currently links the attacks to these groups.

The Paris prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation, detailing four separate charges related to damage of state property and organized crime.

These crimes carry penalties of up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a €300,000 fine. Outgoing French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal confirmed that no arrests have been made so far.

The coordinated sabotage has raised concerns about the security of France’s transportation infrastructure ahead of the Paris Olympics. Authorities are working to identify those responsible and prevent future attacks.