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Man arrested over plot to attack Toulon navy base

French interior minister says a 25-year-old, under surveillance, was arrested last month over plan to attack major French Mediterranean naval base.

La rédaction de Mediapart

This article is freely available.

France's interior minister said on Tuesday it had foiled a plan by a radical Islamist to carry out an attack on naval military personnel in the southern port city of Toulon, repoits Reuters.

"Having been placed under surveillance for a year due to his radicalisation and support of jihadist doctrine, this individual attempted to acquire the tools to act," Bernard Cazeneuve said in a statement.

It added that the 25-year-old was arrested on October 29th. He has since been imprisoned and charged under terrorism offences.

A judicial source told Reuters the man had received a knife and two balaclavas.

The source said the man after being arrested indicated he had initially wanted to go to Syria to wage jihad (holy war), but had decided to carry out an attack on French soil because his passport had been confiscated.

Read more of this report from Reuters.