A gas bottle that did not blow up was discovered Monday morning in the second home of a Parisian in Olmeta-di-Tuda (Haute-Corse), on the facade of which nationalist tags were also discovered, said to AFP the prosecutor of Bastia.
A gas cylinder, which did not have an ignition device but around which a fire had been lit, was discovered Monday morning around 7 a.m. by a worker who had come to carry out work, prosecutor Arnaud Viornery told AFP. of the Republic of Bastia, confirming information from France 3 Corse.
The 13 kg bottle was discovered in the crawl space of the villa, a source familiar with the matter told AFP.
Increase in arson
Minor damage was caused by the fire and tags "
Colons Fora
" ("
The settlers outside
" in the Corsican language, editor's note), "
IFF
" ("
I Francesi Fora
" or "
The French outside
", editor's note), "
FLNC
” (“
Corsican National Liberation Front
”, Editor’s note) and “
Liberta per Carlu Pieri
” (“
Freedom for Charles Pieri
”, Editor’s note) were discovered on the facade of the house, said Arnaud Viornery.
This last tag refers to Charles Pieri, a 72-year-old Corsican nationalist figure suspected of having led the Corsican National Liberation Front (FLNC), a clandestine independence group.
He was indicted on December 9 in Paris, in particular for association with terrorist criminals, and imprisoned within the framework of a judicial investigation opened in Paris on the threat of a return to the armed struggle of the FLNC.
Read alsoIn Corsica, clandestine activity is picking up again
An investigation for destruction by dangerous means was opened by the prosecution and entrusted to the research section of the Corsican gendarmerie.
Corsica has known for a year a multiplication of arson attacks mainly targeting second homes of French people residing in France, often with the presence of tags, but without official claim.
Campsites, beach restaurants, construction companies and construction machinery were also damaged by intentional fires.
On July 11, 16 acts had been claimed by the FLNC.
The National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor's Office (Pnat) had taken up all the facts.