Women arrested over alleged terrorist plot to attack French churches

Suspicions were raised after series of social media posts

Police on patrol in Montpellier, France. Five people have been held over an alleged plot to attack churches in the city. Getty Images

Four women and a girl were arrested in France on suspicion of plotting an extremist attack on churches.
Messages on social media indicated that an act was planned for the Easter weekend in Montpellier, southern France, it was reported.
The investigation focused on a woman, 18, living in the town of Beziers, seven kilometres from Montpellier, who was arrested on suspicion of plotting an attack, Beziers mayor Robert Menard said.
She "boasted to neighbours" about watching ISIS videos, Mr Menard said.

French authorities have stopped an average of 30 terrorist attacks a year since 2017. AFP/file

Her mother and three sisters were also arrested, including one who is a minor.

It was not clear if the fifth person held is another relative.

Counter-terrorism police swooped after concerns were raised by social media posts indicating a possible attack over Easter, Le Parisien reported.
During a search, officers found documents linked to ISIS and "several bottles taped together", the newspaper said.

Mr Menard, who was alerted by police to the operation, said he had spoken to concerned neighbours of those arrested.

“They’re horrified. They fear it gives a bad image of this neighbourhood and the Muslim community here,” he said.

Officials said the French domestic intelligence service and national anti-terrorist prosecutor’s office were handling the investigation.