Armed man at Disneyland Paris no longer terror suspect: Prosecutor

French police and security staff secure the area next to the New York hotel near the Disneyland Paris Resort. PHOTO: REUTERS

PARIS (AFP) - A 28-year-old man arrested in a Disneyland Paris hotel carrying two handguns, ammunition and a Quran is no longer suspected of terrorism offences, the public prosecutor's office said on Friday.

"The inquiry... and in particular checks made in different places and on the telephone have not established any link with a terrorist act," the office said in a statement.

The man, who was still being held for questioning on Friday, was arrested on Thursday at Disneyland Paris during routine scanning at one of the resort's hotels.

The arrest comes as France remains on high alert after November's attacks in Paris in which gunmen and suicide bombers targeted cafes, a concert venue and the Stade de France national stadium, leaving 130 dead and hundreds wounded.

During questioning the man said he had been carrying the guns - two small calibre automatic pistols - because he did not want to leave them at his mother's home where he was living, a police source told AFP.

Another police source, however, said the man initially told officers he had been armed because he feared for his own safety.

Investigators spoke overnight to his girlfriend, who had also been due to stay in the Art Deco-style New York Hotel. They are now satisfied that she is not incriminated in any wrongdoing, the prosecutor's office added.

Prosecutors will take a decision about any possible charges on Saturday afternoon when a 48-hour period during which the police can hold the man for questioning expires.

Disneyland Paris, situated about 30km east of the French capital, is one of Europe's most visited attractions.

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