France arson attack: Hunting the attackers who sabotaged France's high-speed rail

France's Interior Minister, Gérald Darmanin, who has the responsibility of ensuring the safety and security of the Paris Olympics, must have been disappointed by the recent acts of sabotage on the high-speed rail network.

He promised that the attackers will be caught soon, but he hasn't revealed yet who could be responsible.

Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, the Sports Minister, reassured everyone that the troublemakers wouldn't ruin the event, but they targeted the TGV network just before the opening ceremony. This led to disruptions for passengers and highlighted the weaknesses in France's advanced technology.

Temporary Prime Minister Gabriel Attal has warned against jumping to conclusions, but noted that the perpetrators of the attack had a strong grasp on what would be most destructive.

Investigators quickly suspected extreme left-wing radicals, according to information shared with the French media by security sources. However, no group or individual has come forward to claim responsibility.

Up until now, the only information we have is that the tactics used to ignite important optical fibers and other cables in tubes along the railway system on Friday morning were similar to past assaults carried out by radical left-wing groups.

In September of last year, cable ducts were intentionally set on fire next to train tracks in Hamburg, Germany. An unidentified individual posted a statement on a website that supports left-wing ideologies, criticizing the "capitalist infrastructure" for the incident.

This cannot be definitively proven, as the widespread nature of the French attacks indicates a level of organization among different areas that is not typically seen with the radical left.

Whoever was responsible for attacking the train tracks leading out of Paris on the morning of July 26 clearly had intentions of disrupting the Games.

The main TGV train routes heading north, east, and west were all blocked, and the high-speed line to the southeast would have also been stopped if it wasn't for a quick-thinking group of engineers who happened to see a group of saboteurs in vehicles.

Local authorities are gathering proof with the guidance of the country's main law enforcement agencies, including the national police, national gendarmerie, and anti-terror unit SDAT. Their main focus is on locating the individuals who attempted sabotage near Vergigny and then escaped, leaving behind their undamaged incendiary devices.

There have been previous incidents of violence on French train tracks, such as a recent one in January 2023 near the city of Paris.

There was a new event that recently came to light in May 2024, on the fast train route heading south, right near Aix-en Provence.

This incident is most similar to Friday's act of sabotage, as it reportedly occurred on the same day the Olympic flame arrived in Marseille by boat. As of now, it seems that no one has been arrested in connection to the attack.

Despite the failed attempt, which apparently included improvised petrol-bombs, France's security services will investigate possible connections to that attack.

In the beginning of this year, the minister in charge of the country's interior alerted to a significant level of danger from outside forces, possibly indicating a potential terrorist attack similar to the one that occurred at Crocus City Hall in Moscow in March.

France has experienced a series of deadly terrorist attacks in the past few years, but the recent attacks on the rail network are unlike anything seen before. Friday's events caused major disruptions for many travelers, but fortunately there were no casualties.

It is likely that Russia will also be suspected. Russia is currently involved in a large-scale attack on Ukraine, and they have been spreading false information in an attempt to deceive France.

Social media accounts that support the Kremlin have posted a video criticizing the Paris Olympics, making fun of the water in the River Seine, and criticizing President Emmanuel Macron and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo.

Mr. Macron is strongly disliked in Moscow due to his vocal backing of Ukraine.

Even though Russia has continuously rejected any involvement, French authorities believe that Moscow may be behind a string of recent events intended to disrupt the peace in the French capital. These incidents include red hands painted on the Holocaust Memorial and graffiti on buildings insinuating that their balconies are unsafe.

Just this week, a Russian individual was detained in Paris on allegations of plotting to carry out acts of "destabilization, interference, and espionage." The Kremlin commented that the media coverage of the man's case has been "rather interesting," but they have not been officially informed about the arrest.

However, these factors do not automatically suggest that Russia is involved in the coordinated attack that took place on France's high-speed railway network on Friday, as described by caretaker Prime Minister Gabriel Attal as targeting "nerve centers."

The person responsible for the sabotage knew exactly where to create the most chaos. It's unlikely that Russia has the capability to do the same in rural France.

The leader of the government-run rail company SNCF, Jean-Pierre Farandou, stated that the individuals responsible for sabotage targeted specific areas that would have had the most severe consequences.

The act of setting fires at Courtalain caused a disruption in two fast train routes on the Atlantic highway. One route going towards Brittany in the west was affected, as well as another route heading towards Bordeaux in the southwest. Additionally, the attack in the east disrupted high-speed train services to Metz and Strasbourg.

A French security specialist, Romain de Calbiac, said on the BBC's Newshour show that the assault was meticulously organized.

The French security forces and intelligence community are deeply worried that they may have received assistance from individuals within the railway network in France.

Another possibility is that this information did not come from sources within the country but rather from foreign countries that have an understanding of how the French network operates.

At the beginning of the year, SNCF brought attention to a rise in the frequency of attacks on the railway system and mentioned that they were always vigilant against acts of sabotage, especially leading up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Even though the company claimed to have identified all the attempts to breach its systems, only one attack was successfully thwarted to prevent any major harm. This outcome was purely coincidental.

"Today was supposed to be a celebration," remarked Jean-Pierre Farandou. "But everything's been ruined."