French Police Arrest Soldier for Mosque Attack Plan

French police have arrested a young soldier on suspicion of planning to fire shots at a mosque near the city of Lyon, the interior ministry said Sunday.

The 23-year-old man, who investigators say is “close to the radical far-right”, was detained at his airbase near Lyon, AFP reported.

He was charged with possession of ammunition and of plans to damage a place of worship “in connection with a terrorist enterprise.”

Judicial officials said he told investigators that he planned to fire the shots at the Minguettes mosque at Venissieux, a Lyon suburb, on Thursday at the end of the Ramadan holy month.