A bomb alert has been issued in Paris after police stumbled across a ‘suspicious object’ in an area near an Olympics venue.
The area surrounding the Porte de Paris train station in Saint-Denis has been cordoned off as cops wait for the arrival of a specialist bomb squad, Bild reports.
The station, located close to the Stade de France stadium where Olympic Games have been hosted since yesterday has been shut off too amid the threat.
Many of the events due to take place today are now being held at the country’s national arena in northern Paris.
The stadium was reportedly empty when the bomb alert was issued this afternoon, after the first Olympic session of the day ended at 1pm.
French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said that authorities have not detected any ‘tangible’ terror threats during the first week of the Olympic Games.
In the same week, around 200 people have been arrested by security forces for various crimes.
Mr Darmanin released the first official statistics regarding the Paris Olympics’ security during a visit to a police station in Saint-Denis.
He said there were about 200 people arrested since July 26, including 180 taken into police custody.
They include some ‘individuals’ who ‘could have’ committed attacks, including on the day of the opening ceremony, Mr Darmanin said.
Yet, he added, ‘there wasn’t and as of now we aren’t aware of any tangible threat from (terror) organisations … There is no organised attack being planned that we are aware of.’
Mr Darmanin also stressed said there was 24 per cent less theft associated with violence as well as 10 per cent less car theft in Paris and in the neighbouring suburban areas.
‘Overall petty crime was largely reduced, probably due to the hugely increased police and gendarme presence in the public areas,’ he said.
Mr Darmanin is staying on in a caretaker role at the interior ministry until a new government is formed in the wake of legislative elections earlier this month.
France has been deploying around 30,000 police officers each day to keep the Olympics safe, with a peak of 45,000 for the opening ceremony on the Seine River.
Security forces are also backed up by a 10,000-strong contingent of soldiers that has set up the largest military camp in Paris since the Second World War, from which soldiers should be able to reach any of the city’s Olympic venues within 30 minutes.
This is a breaking news story. More to follow.
