French police have arrested a 22-year-old Afghan with ties to a countryman in the U.S. who is suspected of plotting an attack on election day, anti-terrorism prosecutors announced on Saturday.
The man was apprehended on Tuesday in southwestern France and is believed to be a supporter of the militant group Islamic State, according to a statement from prosecutors. His arrest is connected to a 27-year-old Afghan who was taken into custody on Wednesday in Oklahoma, U.S., and charged with planning an attack on a football stadium or shopping center on the upcoming November election day.
A source close to the investigation suggested that the two men might be brothers, although prosecutors have not confirmed this.
U.S. officials stated that the Oklahoma-based suspect had been communicating via the Telegram app with an individual identified by the FBI as an Islamic State recruiter. This information was passed on to French authorities, resulting in the arrest of three individuals, aged 20 to 31, in southwestern France, according to a judicial source.
While the main suspect remains in custody, the other two individuals have been released, prosecutors confirmed.
