French police thwarted an apparent bomb attack outside a Bank of America building in Paris early Saturday, March 28, 2026. Officers arrested a man as he attempted to set off a homemade explosive device near the bank's entrance in the city's 8th arrondissement, just streets away from the Champs-Élysées.
The device, which contained five liters of liquid believed to be fuel and 650 grams of explosive powder, was seized and taken to a forensics lab for analysis. The suspect, who claimed to have been recruited via social media, was taken into custody. A second individual reportedly fled the scene before police arrived.
France's counter-terrorism prosecutor's office confirmed it had taken over the investigation, citing charges of "attempted damage by fire or other dangerous means in connection with a terrorist undertaking" and "terrorist criminal conspiracy." Both the Paris judicial police and France's domestic intelligence service, the General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI), are involved in the probe.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez praised the police's rapid response, emphasizing the need for heightened vigilance amid the current international situation. Bank of America confirmed it was aware of the incident and communicating with authorities.
The attempted attack follows a series of recent incidents targeting Jewish sites across Europe, including an explosion outside a synagogue in Belgium and an arson attack in the Netherlands.