France detains Russian-Ukrainian man in possession of explosives

France’s domestic intelligence agency has detained a 26-year-old Russian-Ukrainian man on suspicion of planning a violent act after he injured himself in an explosion, the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) said on Wednesday, June 5.

The man was treated by a fire brigade on Monday evening “when he suffered serious burns following an explosion,” said the prosecutors. “Products and materials intended to manufacture explosive devices” have been found at his hotel room, the PNAT said. “One of these devices had exploded,” the prosecutors said.

On Tuesday, the prosecutor’s office opened an investigation into suspected plans to commit a violent act. In an indication of the seriousness of the case, the man is being held by France’s domestic intelligence agency, the General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI), rather than the regular police. The case has also been immediately placed in the hands of specialist anti-terror prosecutors rather than criminal prosecutors.

Read more: Le Monde (France)