Two brothers aged 22 and 20 have been placed under formal investigation in northern France on suspicion of planning a “deadly and anti-Semitic” terrorist attack, after police found a semi-automatic weapon, chemicals and an Islamic State group flag in their vehicle, according to France’s National Anti-Terror Prosecutor’s Office.
The men, identified as Elyasse H., 22, and Moad H., 20, both of Italian and Moroccan nationality, were arrested on March 10 near a prison in Longuenesse. Prosecutors allege the pair had been radicalised over a two-year period and were preparing to carry out an attack in France after failing to travel abroad to join jihadist fronts.
Arrest Triggered by Drone Near Prison
The arrests followed a report of a drone flying over the Longuenesse prison, prompting police to intervene. The brothers were apprehended in a car near the facility.
During a search of the vehicle, officers discovered a semi-automatic firearm, a bottle of hydrochloric acid, aluminium foil and an Islamic State (ISIS) flag. Investigators believe the items pointed to an operational plot rather than mere ideological sympathy.
While in custody, the brothers admitted they had been planning a terrorist attack and that they aspired to martyrdom, prosecutors said in a statement released Sunday.
Prosecutors Cite “Deadly” and Anti-Semitic Intent
France’s anti-terror prosecutor said analysis of the seized material indicated the suspects had been radicalised over the past two years and had taken concrete steps toward committing “a terror plot whose deadly and anti-Semitic nature appears to be established.”
In a further statement, the prosecutor’s office said: “They had been planning a terror attack in France for which they aspired to martyrdom.”
According to investigators, the brothers allegedly decided to strike in France after determining it was not possible to travel to Syria or Palestine to “wage jihad.”
Earlier this month, Moad H. recorded a video pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group, prosecutors said — a move seen by investigators as a declaration of operational intent rather than abstract support.
Minor Allegedly Involved in Drone Activity
During questioning, the brothers also admitted to having given a lift to a minor to ensure delivery to the prison via drone on the day of their arrest. Authorities are examining whether the drone incident was linked to a broader logistical plan tied to the alleged terror plot.
The use of a drone near a correctional facility has raised additional concerns about coordination and the involvement of other individuals. Prosecutors have opened an investigation into criminal conspiracy to commit terrorism and acquisition and carrying of weapons.
The prosecutor’s office has requested that both men be formally charged and remanded in custody.
Radicalisation Over Two Years
The brothers arrived in France with their parents in 2017. Prosecutors said their exposure to jihadist propaganda intensified over the past two years, culminating in what authorities now describe as an advanced and ideologically driven plot.
The trajectory outlined by investigators mirrors a wider European pattern in which young men become radicalised online, gradually moving from consuming extremist content to taking tangible preparatory steps. In this case, prosecutors argue, that progression included securing weapons, chemicals and symbolic material linked to ISIS.
Heightened Tensions Across Europe
The alleged plot comes amid a broader surge in antisemitic incidents across Europe, prompting heightened vigilance around Jewish institutions and communities.
French authorities have in recent years treated antisemitic threats as a priority within counter-terrorism operations, particularly where intent aligns with jihadist ideology. Prosecutors in this case emphasised that the planned attack’s antisemitic nature appeared clearly established by evidence gathered so far.
The case now moves into the hands of investigating magistrates, who will determine whether sufficient evidence exists to proceed to trial. For now, authorities say they have disrupted what they describe as a potentially lethal attack before it could be carried out — an intervention that underscores the continuing volatility of homegrown extremism in Europe.
