Three minors aged 15 and 16 who were “radicalised” and suspected of wanting to ‘commit violent acts’ or travel to Syria were arrested in late August and early September in Joué-lès-Tours (Indre-et-Loire) and charged in Paris by an anti-terrorism judge, a source familiar with the case told AFP on Friday.
They had been arrested by the Directorate General of Internal Security (DGSI) after being found “testing homemade explosives”, the source added.
A “home visit had confirmed their radicalisation and attraction to Islamist ideology”, the source added.
The three youths showed “quite strong online activity” and “spread propaganda on a number of platforms”, including “a video game platform and a Telegram channel”.
One of the youths “had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State” and wanted to “join IS on the ground” in Syria, it added.
The others “were thinking about a plan for violent action”. La Nouvelle République