Rhône prosecutors charge 15-year-old teen with plotting attacks on Jewish and gay communities.

Rhône prosecutors have formally charged a 15-year-old minor with plotting a violent attack against Jewish or homosexual communities. The teenager, who was apprehended in the Rhône region on April 17, has been placed in provisional detention following an investigation launched by the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) on April 11.

According to sources close to the case, the suspect was detained after admitting to a desire to "die as a martyr" and to his plans for a specific violent act. The charges brought against him include participation in a criminal terrorist association with the intent to prepare crimes of violence against persons. Following the arrest, the judicial investigation was transferred to the domestic intelligence agency, the DGSI, and further proceedings were opened on April 19.

Olivier Christen, the head of the PNAT, highlighted a disturbing trend in his testimony to AFP at the end of 2025. He noted that over the past four or five years, there has been a "very clear decrease in the age of people who are charged" with terrorist offenses. Christen observed that an increasing number of defendants are now under the age of 20, characterizing many of these individuals as boys who are often isolated and struggling with school failure or a sense of distance from the educational system.