France Thwarts Terror Plan by Salafist Women to Honor Bin Laden

Young Women Arrested in France Over Terror Plot

Three young women have been detained in France on the suspicion of planning a terrorist attack in Paris, allegedly to honor bin Laden and remember the 2015 Bataclan theater attack.

France’s National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office has formally charged the women, aged 18, 19, and 21, with “criminal terrorist conspiracy.” This comes after a detailed investigation that involved both wiretapping and various forms of surveillance, which suggested intentions for possible suicide bombings in the city.

A report from Le Parisien referenced intelligence from the Directorate General for Internal Security, indicating that all three women are part of a hardline Salafist group that insists on strict adherence to the Koran and Sharia law while promoting militant jihadism.

The women reportedly confined themselves mostly indoors, appearing in public with their faces covered by niqabs. Instead of engaging in community life, they spent countless hours watching extremist videos on platforms like Snapchat, Telegram, and TikTok.

They have been characterized as solitary figures, with one of the women suffering from a severe spinal injury that leaves her in a wheelchair. While they are all reported as French citizens, there hasn’t been any information released about their ethnic backgrounds.

The 19-year-old, referred to simply as “B” in Parisian media, is thought to be the leader of the group. Authorities first took note of her due to her TikTok account, which was known for promoting ISIS-related and jihadist content to a following of around 20,000.

In one instance, she expressed readiness to undertake an “operation with another sister,” mentioning a desire for “equipment” and training to attack concert venues and bars in Paris using firearms and explosive vests.

In another recorded conversation, she allegedly joked about wanting to “blow up everything in there” and pay tribute to bin Laden.

Authorities believe the aim was to inflict mass casualties, paralleling the November 2015 attacks in Paris that claimed 130 lives. Those attackers used similar methods to execute their plans, targeting stadiums, restaurants, and the Bataclan concert hall.

At the time, most of the perpetrators were identified as French and Belgian nationals of North African descent, some of whom received training from ISIS in Syria. With the recent attacks marking their 10th anniversary this week, it’s possible this history could have inspired the suspects.

During a search, law enforcement found a notebook detailing aspects of the suspected terror plot, listing potential targets and materials for creating suicide vests, including a Kalashnikov similar to the weapon used in the 2015 Bataclan tragedy.

During interrogation, “B” expressed a desire to live under Sharia law, stating she preferred it over the secular laws of France. She mentioned an intent to execute a violent act against a police officer to attain martyrdom but later claimed she had reconsidered the plan, stating she felt “impulsive” and unable to carry it out.

The 21-year-old suspect, known as “K,” reportedly showed allegiance to “B” and acknowledged awareness of the plot but suggested to the others that they should relocate to Algeria instead. Both “B” and “K” noted that a third suspect, “A,” was not privy to the details of the plan.