This Wednesday, a very important police operation took place in the Lille train station district; part of which has been cordoned off by a security perimeter. The tension was at its height in the middle of the morning when the word “terrorist” circulated on everyone’s lips. And if an “attack alert” was received by the SNCF services, it finally turned out that it was an abusive call from an individual, who was arrested. Explanations.
What happened ?
The police operation was launched shortly before 10 a.m., initially causing the closure and evacuation of the two Lille stations. The historic station, Lille-Flandres, was quickly reopened and all attention turned to the Lille-Europe TGV station. A very wide security perimeter has been set up, preventing any entry and exit from the infrastructure. Travelers having to pass through Lille-Europe waited behind tapes guarded by police and soldiers from the Sentinel force. According to the SNCF, some trains could still cross the Lille-Europe station while those to stop in Lille were diverted to Lille-Flandres.
Removal of doubts
“The SNCF received an attack alert on a specific number. This concerned a TGV which made the Paris-Lille route and was expected at Lille-Flandres station at 9:48 a.m. ”, explains Sonia Hasni, sub-prefect of the North. An alert taken very seriously, so much so that the train was diverted to the Lille-Europe station where large police forces were waiting for it, in particular a team of deminers and the Raid.
The train indicated by the author of the alert was combed through by the police, helped by the dogs of the demining brigade. The travelers were also all checked, as well as their luggage. A long and tedious task that yielded nothing.
What was his plan?
The investigations made it possible to determine that the author of the alert was ultimately on a train other than the one indicated, which was to arrive in Lille at 11:18 a.m. It was the men of the Raid who arrested this man as well as a woman, “probably his companion”, estimates the sub-prefect. Both were taken into custody. “They offered no resistance and nothing suspicious was found in their possession,” she adds.
At this stage, we do not know the motivations that prompted this man to launch an attack alert and we do not know either if he was already known to the police or the justice system. Hoax, fear of missing his train… “The investigation should also determine him, but he will have to answer for his actions”, insists the sub-prefect. The device was lifted at the very beginning of the afternoon.