France arrests 2 for planning Christmas knife attacks

By Shweta Desai

PARIS (AA) - French police have arrested two suspected Daesh/ISIS militants who were plotting knife attacks during the Christmas holiday season, local media reported Wednesday.

Interior Minister Gerard Darmanin in a tweet confirmed the reports of the foiled terror attack.

“The terrorist threat remains at a high level in France, we are not lowering our guard,” he said.

The General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI) arrested two 23-year-old men in Meaux, Seine-et-Marne and Pecq, Yvelines in the Paris region on Nov. 29 for planned attacks during the holidays, the Le Parisien newspaper reported.

According to the confession of one of the suspects, the duo planned to stab multiple people in crowded areas and shopping centers during the festive season. They aspired to die as “martyrs” the report said.

BFMTV news reported that police found literature and propaganda from the Daesh/ISIS terror group at their homes. The two men were imprisoned and indicted on terrorism charges on Dec. 3 as part of a preliminary investigation opened by the anti-terrorism prosecution.