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Reports: France Opens Counterterror Probe Into Eiffel Tower Incident


French servicemen at the Eiffel Tower in Paris. (file photo)
French servicemen at the Eiffel Tower in Paris. (file photo)

French prosecutors have reportedly opened a counterterrorism investigation into an attempt by a man carrying a knife to force his way into the Eiffel Tower.

No one was hurt in the incident, which occurred late on August 5.

The suspect, who is in custody, told investigators that he wanted to commit an attack against a soldier and had been in contact with a member of the extremist group Islamic State, sources close to the case told the AFP news agency on August 6.

The intruder, aged around 19, reportedly has a history of psychological problems. He is said to be a Frenchman born in the West African state of Mauritania.

At the time of the incident, the Eiffel Tower was lit up with the colors of the Paris Saint-Germain soccer team.

France has been under a state of emergency since November 2015 attacks in Paris that left 130 people dead.

Based on reporting by AFP, Reuters, and dpa

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