France arrests two men planning 'violent' pre-election attack

Emmanuel Jarry, Reuters / WIC News

Two Frenchmen have been arrested in Marseille on suspicion of planning an "imminent and violent attack" ahead of the first round of the presidential election on Sunday, France's interior minister has said.

France's internal intelligence agency, which had been looking for the two suspects for more than a week, had warned main candidates in the election that there was a threat to their security, campaign officials said.

Comments by officials indicated that former prime minister Francois Fillon, centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen – three leading contenders – were among those warned of a security risk.

"These two radicalised men... intended to commit in the very short-term – by that I mean in the coming days - an attack on French soil," Interior Minister Matthias Fekl told a news conference.

A "definite terrorist act" had been foiled, he said.

France goes to the polls on 23 April and on 7 May in one of the most unpredictable elections in its modern history with security a key issue after attacks by militant Islamists which have killed more than 230 people in the past two years.

The two men – named as 23-year-old Clement Baur and 30-year-old Mahiedine Merabet – were seized in the southern port city a few moments apart from each other on Tuesday morning.

Local mayor Lisette Narducci said explosives had been found after a search of an apartment near Marseille's largest train station. Sources close to the investigation said at least two assault weapons had been found.

"The main candidates were warned in the middle of the last week that there was a risk and that two individuals had been identified. We received their photos and security of the candidates. Their meetings and headquarters were given extra protection," Macron's spokesman Benjamin Griveaux told Reuters news agency.

Officials from Fillon's camp and Le Pen's National Front said they also had received word of a possible attack.