Police thwart ‘terror attack’ at Bank of America building in Paris, officials say

Automobiles pass a former postal and telegraph building, where Bank of America Corp. is leasing space for 400 workers, in Paris, France, on Wednesday April 10, 2019. (Photographer: Christophe Morin/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) — Authorities in France are investigating an attempted terror attack in which a man allegedly tried to detonate an explosive device in Paris, according to officials.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez congratulated French police for thwarting the “violent” attack in Paris overnight Saturday, where the suspect attempted to set off the explosive outside the Bank of America building in the central part of the city.

The “swift intervention” of police prevented the attack, which Nuñez described as “of a terrorist nature” in a post on X.

“Vigilance remains at a very high level,” Nuñez wrote. “I commend all the security and intelligence forces fully mobilized under my authority in the current international context.”

Police had noticed two men with a shopping bag outside the building, RTL France, a French radio station, reported.

One of the bags contained a bag of liquid taped to a large firework, according to the report. Police said they approached the pair when one of the suspects attempted to set fire to the device.

One suspect was arrested on Saturday in the early morning hours, but the other suspect escaped, RTL France reported.

Additional details were not immediately available.

The National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor’s Office is leading in the investigation, Nuñez said.