French authorities are investigating a foiled attack on Bank of America’s Paris offices, amid suspicions that a pro-Iranian group may be involved. France’s national anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office has taken over the case, following a March 28th incident in which a powerful incendiary device was found at the site.
The device, described by forensic experts as the most powerful of its kind identified in France, consisted of a five-litre petrol can attached to a 650-gram active-material cylinder with a fuse.
CCTV footage, phone data, and interviews helped investigators identify four suspects, including three minors and one adult. The adult reportedly recruited the teenagers and paid them between €500 and €1,000 to plant, ignite, and film the device.
A fifth individual was released due to insufficient evidence. All four formally investigated suspects denied intending a terrorist act, though the minors acknowledged knowing the target was not a residential building.
Authorities are examining whether the suspects acted independently or under the influence of broader geopolitical developments, particularly tensions in the Middle East.
The pro-Iranian group HAYI—Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya, or Movement of the Companions of the Right Hand of Islam—has been linked to recent attacks in Europe against U.S., Israeli, and Jewish targets.
French authorities are cooperating with counterparts in Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands to track related HAYI-linked activities.
