Gérald Darmanin, the resigning Minister of the Interior, announced on Monday that French authorities have "identified several profiles who may have been involved" in
the sabotage of SNCF's TGV lines during the night from Thursday to Friday. Additionally, a far-left activist was arrested on Sunday at an SNCF site in Seine-Maritime, according to police sources reported by AFP.
Progress in the Investigation
Speaking on France 2, Darmanin stated on July 29th that the authorities had pinpointed potential suspects behind the deliberate and precisely targeted sabotages. He emphasized that these actions were characteristic of far-left extremists.
"This is the traditional mode of action of the far-left," Darmanin said. When asked if the identified profiles were linked to the far-left, he urged caution, noting the importance of determining whether these individuals acted independently or were manipulated.
Recent Arrest
A far-left activist was detained on Sunday at an SNCF site in Oissel, Seine-Maritime. Police sources disclosed that the individual had various tools and far-left literature in his vehicle, including access keys to SNCF technical facilities, cutting pliers, a set of universal keys, and a book titled "Le Vertige de l'émeute" by Romain Huët. The man is currently in custody in Rouen.
Claim of Responsibility
A message of support for the sabotages was received by several media outlets on Saturday, which Darmanin suggested could be seen as a claim of responsibility. However, he warned that this might be an opportunistic declaration rather than a genuine claim.
Security Measures and Sabotage Details
Responding to questions about a possible intelligence failure, Darmanin pointed out that the country successfully hosted the Olympic Games' opening ceremony without incident. The sabotage, involving the cutting and burning of fiber optic cables near the tracks, disrupted TGV lines and caused significant chaos for travelers heading to Paris or on vacation, just hours before the event's opening ceremony.
Authorities describe the sabotage as a "well-prepared" operation, likely orchestrated by a "single structure," according to sources close to the investigation.