Frenchman arrested after guns and explosives find; accused of targeting Euro 2016

Ukrainian police arrested a Frenchman who was found to be in possession of a large cache of weapons and explosives, and was allegedly planning mass attacks during the Euro 2016 football tournament, which starts on Friday.

The man, identified as Gregoire Moutaux, 25, was arrested on the Ukrainian border with Poland.

Ukraine intelligence chief Vasyl Hrytsak said the man had planned 15 attacks and was driven by ultra-nationalist views.

“He had amassed guns, detonators and 125kg of TNT, and was targeting bridges, motorways, a mosque and a synagogue,” Hrytsak said.

Moutax was charged with arms smuggling and terrorism, he said.

It was not clear if the tournament itself was being targeted and Paris police prefect Michel Cadot told reporters there was “no specific threat against any Euro 2016 site”.

French authorities have been on high security alert ahead of the European championships, amid fears that the tournament could be targeted by Islamist militants. President Francois Hollande said on Sunday that “the threat exists” but that France should not be daunted.