Fifteen 'terror attacks' planned for Euro 2016 foiled
Fifteen "terrorist attacks" planned for the eve of Euro 2016 and during have been foiled, Ukrainian security officials say.
French farm worker named by local media as Gregoire Moutaux was arrested last month on the Ukrainian-Polish border on suspicion of plotting mass attacks on the upcoming tournament.
He had allegedly amassed an arsenal of weapons and explosives big enough to carry out 15 attacks.
These included five machine guns, two rocket-propelled grenade launchers, 125kg of TNT, Kalashnikov assault rifles and 100 detonators as well as 20 balaclavas.
His alleged targets included:
A mosque
A synagogue
Highway patrol points
French tax office
Our Security Editor Rohit Kachroo tweeted:
He added although France had stepped up security deploying armed police at the largest mosque in Paris it was more for reassurance.
And French authorities were at this stage treating Moutaux as a potential arms trafficker rather than a terrorist.
The Head of Ukraine's State Security Service (SBU), Vasily Gritsak, said the man had made contact with armed groups in the country, and was interested in buying arms and explosives.
"The Frenchman spoke negatively about his government's actions, mass immigration, the spread of Islam and globalisation, and also talked about plans to carry out several terrorist attacks," he said.
"The SBU was able to prevent a series of 15 acts of terror (planned) for the eve and during the Euro soccer championship."
Mr Gritsak added that the SBU had sold deactivated weapons to the suspect after they found out that he was looking to purchase the arms.
Security officials in Europe are on high alert after Islamist militants killed 130 people in Paris last November and suicide bombers killed 32 people at Belgium's main international airport and on the Brussels metro in March.
Emergency services have been carrying out mock drills in preparation for an attack during the Euro 2016.
Last week the US Department of State warned its fans that terrorists may target the European football championships.
France is deploying a 90,000-strong security force for the tournament, and President Francois Hollande said on Sunday night that the threat of attacks will not stop it from being successful.
The Paris police prefect, Michel Cadot, declined to comment on the information from Ukraine, saying only that "there is no specific threat against any (Euro 2016) site".