Six detained in France over alleged plot targeting synagogue near Paris

PARIS, France — PARIS — French authorities detained six people on Saturday over an alleged plot against a synagogue in Sarcelles, a suburb north of Paris, the country's anti-terrorism prosecutor's office said. The suspects, whose identities have not been released, were taken into custody in connection with a July 12 incident that led to the evacuation of roughly 300 people from the synagogue. The evacuation was triggered by the discovery of a suspicious vehicle near the synagogue. According to the prosecutor's office, the planned attack was linked to "extremist Muslim circles," a phrase echoed in earlier French counterterrorism briefings on similar plots. The detentions come amid heightened concern over security around Jewish sites across Europe. Recent European intelligence and security assessments have pointed to a rising threat against Jewish communities and institutions, linking the danger in part to Iran's external operations and tensions involving Tehran-aligned military actors. No group has claimed responsibility for the alleged Sarcelles plot, and further details were not immediately available.