France charges Tunisian man over alleged Louvre attack plot

France’s National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office on Monday charged and jailed an undocumented Tunisian national over an alleged jihadist plot targeting the Louvre.yahoo
Investigators reportedly found bomb-making searches, a video of the Louvre’s exterior, and jihadist messages on the suspect’s phone after a routine document check.lemonde
The suspect also allegedly planned to join Islamic State in Syria or Mozambique, according to the PNAT, which transferred the case to the DGSI.yahoo

Tunisian Man Charged in France Over Alleged Jihadist Plot Targeting the Louvre

French anti-terrorism authorities on Monday charged a 27-year-old undocumented Tunisian national with plotting a jihadist attack targeting the Louvre Museum and the Jewish community in Paris, the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) confirmed.yahoo

The suspect, identified as Dhafer M., born in 1999 in Djerba, Tunisia, was placed in preventive detention after being brought before anti-terrorism judges on Monday, May 11. He had been arrested on Thursday during a routine document check, during which police discovered jihadist materials and weapons imagery on his phone, according to Le Monde, which first reported the case.lemonde

Evidence and Alleged Plans

Investigators found a range of evidence on the suspect’s phone, including messages exchanged with foreign contacts believed to be linked to jihadist groups, a video of the Louvre’s exterior, and searches conducted using ChatGPT on how to manufacture bombs and chemical explosives. A source close to the investigation told Reuters that the man had sought to target a Parisian museum and the Jewish community, though “no specific target was identified”. Le Monde reported more specifically that the Louvre and the Jewish community in Paris’s 16th arrondissement were in the suspect’s sights.globalbankingandfinance

The PNAT said the man was also suspected of planning a “hijra” — a journey to join the Islamic State in Syria or Mozambique. The case was transferred to France’s General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSI) and the criminal brigade’s anti-terrorism section.yahoo

Broader Security Concerns

The suspect arrived in France via the Italian island of Lampedusa in 2022 and was living undocumented at the time of his arrest. He denied any terrorist intent during questioning, claiming his online searches were motivated by curiosity.lemonde

The case arrives amid heightened counterterrorism activity in France. In March, two brothers were arrested in northern France after police found a semi-automatic weapon and hydrochloric acid in their car as part of what prosecutors called a “deadly and antisemitic” plot. Antisemitic acts in France surged to 1,570 recorded incidents in 2024, according to Le Monde. The Louvre itself faced scrutiny over security gaps following a jewel heist last October in which crown jewels valued at approximately $102 million were stolen.globalbankingandfinance