Afghan Man Arrested in France Over Suspected Ties to ISIS
France’s National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office has announced the arrest of a 20-year-old Afghan man in the city of Lyon on suspicion of links to the Islamic State (ISIS). The man, who was detained last week, is currently being held in temporary custody.
According to an official statement from French authorities, the suspect is accused of membership in a terrorist group and financing its operations. French security sources stated that he held extremist beliefs and had direct contact with ISIS.
Officials added that the suspect played an active role in translating, publishing, and distributing ISIS propaganda, and had even sent amounts of cash to financially support the group. Preliminary investigations indicate that he entered French territory several years ago and had previously been questioned for praising terrorist acts.
The French newspaper Le Parisien reported that the suspect edited and reposted violent propaganda content via social media platforms such as TikTok and Snapchat. The arrest comes amid growing concerns about rising extremist activities among asylum seekers.
This development also follows repeated warnings by the former Afghan government and international organizations, which have said that the absence of an accountable government and the rise of extremism under the Taliban’s rule have made Afghan youth more vulnerable to recruitment by terrorist groups.
