French minister says foreign involvement not ruled out in rail sabotage

PARIS - France’s Interior Minister said on July 27 that he could not rule out foreign involvement in an attack that sabotaged signal stations and cables on the country’s high-speed rail network, causing travel chaos on the opening day of the Olympic Games.

The July 26 pre-dawn attacks

damaged infrastructure along the lines connecting Paris to cities such as Lille in the north, Bordeaux in the west, and Strasbourg in the east.

Another attack on the Paris-Marseille line was foiled, rail operator SNCF has said.

There has been no immediate claim of responsibility.

“Who is responsible? Either it’s from within, or it’s been ordered from abroad; it’s too early to say,” Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told France 2 TV channel.

He added: “We have uncovered a certain number of elements which lead us to believe that we will know fairly quickly who is responsible.”

Two security sources said on July 26 that the modus operandi meant initial suspicions fell on leftist militants or environmental activists, but there was no evidence yet.

Service on France’s high-speed rail network should be back to normal by July 29, Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete and SNCF chief Jean-Pierre Farandou told reporters on July 27.

On July 26, 100,000 people could not take their trains, and another 150,000 faced delays but eventually got to their destinations, Mr Vergriete said.

“There will still be disruptions tomorrow,” he said. “From Monday, there is no need to worry.”

As at July 27, service on three major French high-speed train lines remained disrupted.

Seven out of 10 trains will run on July 27 on the three key routes, with delays averaging one to two hours, SNCF said.

Ms Kathleen Cuvellier, speaking in the northern city of Lille, said her journey to Avignon in the south was going to be “hell” now.

Ms Cuvellier, travelling with her two-year-old son, said she now has to take a slower train to Paris, to take another one for Avignon, adding: “The travel time was four hours, and now it’s going to be seven.”

Ms Cecile Bonnefond, whose train from Lille to the western city of Nantes was cancelled, added: “One doesn’t have any choice.” REUTERS, AFP