
Three young French women, aged 18, 19 and 21, have been arrested in France on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack in public spaces in Paris, just days before the tenth anniversary of the November 13, 2015 attacks on the Bataclan and other sites in the French capital.
The news was confirmed by the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office (PNAT), following initial reports by RTL and Le Parisien.
According to authorities , the three suspects, all French nationals and believed to be radicalized, were arrested in Lyon, Vierzon and Villeurbanne. After questioning, they were placed in pre-trial detention by court order.
This is the sixth attack prevented in France since the beginning of 2025, while the investigation has been opened with charges of "participation in a terrorist organization with the aim of preparing crimes against persons."
According to the General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI), the group had targeted bars and concert halls in Paris, although a specific target had not yet been identified.
The "brain" of the group – an unemployed 19-year-old
Investigations revealed that the 19-year-old, considered the main organizer of the plan, was unemployed and had dropped out of school.
According to RTL, she was identified through contacts with an Islamist militant, with whom she allegedly discussed purchasing a Kalashnikov rifle and building suicide belts.
Authorities believe that the three girls met at least once during the preparatory phase of the plan, which strengthens suspicions about the existence of a real intention to act.
Lawyers: Avoid hasty conclusions
However, defense lawyers have urged the media and the public not to draw premature conclusions.
"The preliminary investigation will allow us to distinguish between what is real and what is not. Care must be taken to avoid hasty conclusions," said Thibault Bailly, the lawyer for the 21-year-old, who suffers from physical disabilities and has a history of homelessness.
Meanwhile, Jean-Baptiste Riolacci, the 18-year-old's lawyer, described his client as "a very immature girl," adding that her statements may be the product of naive fantasies, rather than a real terrorist threat.