Three women arrested on charges of planning an attack in Paris. The suspects, aged between 18 and 21, have surprising profiles
Women wearing niqab. Photo credit: Fred Dufour / AFP / Profimedia
Three radicalized women, aged 18, 19 and 21, were arrested and are suspected of plotting an attack in Paris, as next week marks 10 years since the attacks in the French capital and the hostage-taking at the Bataclan hall, resulting in 130 deaths, the bloodiest terrorist attacks that France has known.
The three young women have been investigated since October 10 for “participation in a terrorist association in order to prepare crimes against individuals”, Le Figaro newspaper learned from the National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) in France, News.ro quotes.
Their target was not clearly defined, but “the idea was to attack bars or concert halls in the capital”, in any case crowded places.
The three suspects were placed in preventive detention on Saturday.
It is the sixth thwarted attack in France since the beginning of 2025, according to PNAT.
All three suspects are of French nationality and are radicalized. They were arrested in Lyon, Vierzon and Villeurbanne.
What the suspects' lawyers say
Between loneliness, death impulses and disability, this female trio presents surprising profiles, writes Le Parisien. All three declare themselves Salafists. According to the surveillance reports of the General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI), they never leave their homes without a niqab that completely covers their face. Otherwise, these three young women spend most of their time locked in their homes, watching Jihadist propaganda videos and stories on Snapchat, TiKTok and Telegram.
The 19-year-old, who dropped out of high school and is unemployed, is considered the brains of the group. Her discussions with an Islamist put the DGSI on her trail and allowed the disclosure of the plan she had together with the other two suspects. She would have mentioned in particular the purchase price of a Kalashnikov type machine gun and the manufacture of explosive belts, according to RTL information.
The fact that the three suspects met at least once during the preparation of their criminal project reinforces the conviction of the DGSI that they intended to take action.
“The investigation will certainly make it possible to distinguish between the truth and the false. As always, we must beware of hasty conclusions,” Thibault Bailly, the lawyer of the oldest suspect, who suffers from a motor disability and is a former homeless person, told Le Figaro.
It remains to be determined whether the statements made “constituted a serious threat or, as can be assumed, futile and unfortunate attempts of a very young girl to get out of her loneliness”, added Jean-Baptiste Riolacci, the lawyer of the youngest girl, who presents a very infantile profile, according to Le Figaro.
The continuation of the investigation should allow to clarify the real intentions of the defendants, the degree of realization of their criminal plan and their ability to proceed to action.
The three defendants contest the attack plan.
