Huge arson attack on French rail network hits fans on way to the Games

FRENCH plans to welcome the world to the 2024 Paris Olympics tonight were hit by a massive arson attack on the nation’s high-speed rail network.

- Robert Dex, Ross Lydall and Peter Allen

Fires were started at key points just hours before the opening ceremony, bringing trains to a halt and leading to the cancellation of services taking tens of thousands of spectators to the capital.

Transport minister Patrice Vergriete said the “co-ordinated malicious acts” had targeted the TGV network, which spans the country.

It also meant some Eurostar services between London and Paris were cancelled and others delayed as trains were switched to conventional tracks rather than the 186mph highspeed network.

A spokesman for French rail firm SNCF said it had been the victim of “a massive arson attack to paralyse the TGV network” and predicted that the disruption would continue over the weekend. A criminal investigation was launched but there was no immediate theory about who was behind the attacks and no one claimed responsibility.

SNCF said a series of incidents overnight had affected travel to and from London via the Channel, to Belgium and across the west, north and east of France.