Paris, Jul 26 (EFE).- Authorities in France on Friday were investigating “massive” and “coordinated” attacks on high-speed rail (TGV) services in Paris, hours before the Olympic Games opening ceremony in the French capital.
The attacks, which interim prime minister Gabriel Attal described as “acts of sabotage” that were carried out “in a prepared and coordinated manner”, have caused severe disruption to TGV lines in and around Paris.
Attal announced that French secret services and police “are mobilized to find and punish the perpetrators of these criminal acts”.
The offenses are punishable by prison sentences of between 10 and 20 years and fines of between 150,000 and 300,000 euros.
In a statement, the Paris Prosecutor’s Office said that it was investigating Thursday night’s arson attacks on three TGV signaling installations on lines running from Paris to the north, to the east and to the west.
There was also an attempt on the fourth TGV line heading southeast, but that was thwarted when employees of the state railway company SNCF intervened, with the alleged perpetrators fleeing in a van.
The SNCF said in a statement that it is rerouting some TGVs on the conventional train line, but that it is still going to have to cut “a large number”.
Regional and commuter trains were unaffected.
Some French media citing sources in the investigation have reported that several leads are being considered, one of which is that far-left groups are behind the coordinated attacks.
According to the SNCF, 250,000 travelers have been affected by the incidents, a figure that could rise to 800,000 by Sunday as the consequences of the sabotage will continue to be felt throughout the weekend.
Aside from the Olympic Games opening ceremony, this is one of the busiest weekends in France due to summer vacation travel.
The SNCF has asked passengers not to go to stations unless they receive an SMS alerting them that their train will be running and has told them that they will receive reimbursement for canceled trips. EFE
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