Jean-Yves Le Drian: “There may have been a terrorist attack against the Dakar”

A dramatic accident struck the Dakar caravan on Wednesday December 29, 2021. An explosive device, placed in a support vehicle of the Gironde team Sodicars, exploded near a gas station. While Frenchman Philippe Boutron, driving the support 4×4, was preparing to go to the shakedown of the event in Jeddah to compete in his ninth Dakar, the explosion caused a serious leg injury. The national anti-terrorism prosecutor's office took up the case and announced the opening of a preliminary investigation into “attempted assassinations in connection with a terrorist enterprise. » The investigations surrounding the explosion which seriously injured Philippe Boutron were “entrusted to the internal security directorate (DGSI)” indicated the national anti-terrorism prosecution.

On RMC and BFM TV this Friday, January 7, Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic, returned to this affair at the microphone of Jean-Jacques Bourdin, raising the possibility of an act terrorist against French interests in Saudi Arabia, France's leading customer in terms of arms purchases with 703 million euros spent according to Libération. “We told the organizers and the Saudi officials that we had to be very transparent about what had just happened because there were hypotheses that it could be a terrorist attack, said the minister. There have already been attacks in Saudi Arabia against French interests and it was important to protect our fellow citizens, to warn, to prevent and to demand the greatest transparency. The national anti-terrorism prosecutor's office was seized, it itself took up this matter, moreover, and today we are faced with this situation where there may have been a terrorist attack against the Dakar. » The minister also mentioned a possible stopping of the Dakar after this event: " It's necessary to be vigilant. We thought that perhaps we should give up this sporting event. The organizers decided to maintain it. There needed to be enhanced security protection measures in place and I think they've done that. » 

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Jean-Yves Le Drian (@JY_LeDrian): “There may have been a terrorist attack against the Dakar” pic.twitter.com/QVmDzk5uQg

- BFMTV (@BFMTV) January 7, 2022