She was, it seemed, ready to take action.
On the night of Saturday to Sunday, April 4, an 18-year-old girl was arrested in the Devèze district in Béziers (Hérault) by the police from the General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSI), with the assistance of their Raid colleagues.
According to the first elements of the investigation, this young adult is suspected of having wanted to commit a violent action against the faithful of a church in Montpellier.
Her mother and her three sisters, including a 15-year-old minor, present at her home, were also arrested and taken into police custody.
None were known to the intelligence services.
All are of French nationality.
The investigations are led by the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office (PNAT), which very recently opened a preliminary investigation for terrorist association.
This judicialization follows work by the intelligence services.
The arrests, revealed by Le Point, were triggered because the investigators had gathered elements suggesting that the young girl could take action on the occasion of the Easter holidays.
It is in particular the discovery of a disturbing message on social networks, Friday, which precipitated the operation.
The young woman is suspected of having wanted to attack a place of worship in Montpellier or the surrounding area, but no specific church name has been mentioned.
Preparations for home-made explosive devices
During the search, investigators discovered all the chemicals that could go into making explosives as well as the instructions for use.
But, more worrying still, they found the preparations of homemade explosive devices: several bottles taped together and marbles.
"We can speak of atypical and significant discoveries", underlines a source close to the file.
"We think we have foiled a plan to attack," said another.
In this messy apartment, investigators also got their hands on documentation related to ISIS.
A saber was also seized.
"The investigations will have to say if this weapon is in connection with the project", specifies a judicial source.
This series of arrests obviously hardly disturbed the daily life of the dealers, who continued to trade this Sunday afternoon.
The Devèze district, classified as a priority safety zone, has a bad reputation.
Few of the residents wish to express themselves.
“It's a fairly withdrawn family,” says a 20-year-old resident, whose mother saw the police block off part of the neighborhood in the morning while she was on her way to the market.
“We sometimes saw them take the bus without being very welcoming,” he continues.
It's unfortunate to know that things like this still happen, even though I don't know much more.
People talk very little here for fear of reprisals.
You have to be careful, because it's a hectic neighborhood, especially on the street where these sisters lived.
In this part, there are a lot of deals.
The implicated family is said to be living in great precariousness.
Police custody, which can last up to four days in the area of anti-terrorism, will help to refine the progress of the project.
With the exception of the minor, whose hearing is handled locally, the other four women were taken to the premises of the DGSI in Levallois-Perret (Hauts-de-Seine).
None of them had yet been heard this Sunday evening.
The computer media of the main suspect will have to be exploited.
At the end of the day, the prosecution could initiate a judicial investigation and entrust the investigation to an investigating judge.
