You can now call Paris the City of Fright.
The spotlight is on the French capital as the Summer Olympics kick off Friday.
Sadly, the focus may more likely be on events off the field and outside the stadium.
In the past week, an Australian woman was gang-raped by five African migrants, a TV crew was mugged, and a slew of terror plots have been foiled. Domestic and international tensions have been blamed for the tense scene.
On Thursday, Israeli officials warned French intelligence operatives of a suspected plot to attack the Jewish state’s athletes at Friday’s opening ceremonies. Israel claims Iran is behind the plot.
Earlier this week, two suspects from the Bordeaux area of southwest France were arrested and accused of plotting terrorist attacks.
“There are those who seek to undermine the celebratory nature of this joyous event,” Katz wrote in a letter translated by the Times of Israel.
“We currently have assessments regarding the potential threat posed by Iranian terrorist proxies and other terrorist organizations who aim to carry out attacks against members of the Israeli delegation and Israeli tourists during the Olympics.”
Cops in Paris plan to deploy 35,000 officers each day with 45,000 at the opening ceremonies. In addition, 10,000 soldiers are involved in the security operations.
SHOCKING GANG RAPE
A 25-year-old Australian woman was allegedly gang-raped by five African migrants last Saturday in Paris. The tourist — unable to speak French — staggered after the attack into a Kebab shop, disoriented, her dress on backwards and partially torn off, and she was battered.
The shop is just yards from the famed Moulin Rouge.
As a crowd surrounds the terrified woman to comfort her, a man entered the shop. She pointed to him as her attacker. But he brazenly approaches and pats her on the back. He is then confronted and flees.
In addition, she was carrying her underwear and her phone was stolen.
“The investigation into the charge of gang rape likely to have been committed on the night of July 19 to 20 has been entrusted to the second judicial police district,” the prosecutor’s office said.
LE MUGGING
Two TV staffers in Paris to cover the Games have been violently mugged in a suspected robbery. Nine reporter Christine Ahern said the pair were working in the northeastern suburbs of Paris and returning to their accommodation Monday afternoon when they were attacked by a gang.
“It was clear it was a robbery because they went for the backpacks. There was no weapon used, but there was quite a significant assault,” she told 3AW radio. “The two workers managed to get away, but obviously it’s a worry.”
The victims were shaken up but are back at work.
TERROR THREATS
Paris — and France — are not strangers to recent acts of terrorism: Charlie Hebdo magazine (20 dead), Paris Attacks (138 dead), and the Bastille Day Attack (86 dead) among others.
Here’s the latest:
— Two 18-year-olds living in the Gironde region were arrested on charges of preparing terrorist attacks. They allegedly planned an attack for the opening ceremonies.
— A Russian reality TV chef, 40, was busted earlier this week on charges of “conducting intelligence work on behest of a foreign power” aiming to “provoke hostilities in France,” the AP reported. Cops say: “A search of that suspect’s home had “raised fears of his intention to organize events likely to lead to destabilization of the Olympic Games.”
— Authorities are also on the lookout for cyber threats that may include fake news, disinformation and short-circuiting digital operations.
— In May, an 18-year-old suspected of planning a jihadist attack on the Saint-Etienne stadium, hosting Olympic soccer was arrested. Last week, a neo-Nazi was arrested on suspicion of plotting an attack during the passage of the Olympic flame.
QUOTE
“The French are going to have an opening ceremony like there has never been before.” — Russian chef, identified only as “K.”
@HUnterTOSun