Armed man arrested at Disneyland Paris hotel
Oliver Gee - [email protected]
Published: 28 Jan, 2016 CET.
Updated: Thu 28 Jan 2016 20:18 CET
A man armed with two hand guns, ammunition and carrying a Koran was arrested at a hotel in Disneyland Paris, French police said on Thursday.
The man was arrested early on Thursday afternoon as he tried to enter the New York Hotel at Disneyland Paris, with his guns, hidden in a concealed bag, setting off the alarms at the security gates, reports said.
The man was "detected upon his arrival at the hotel on the Disneyland site where he had a reservation. Hotel security found two handguns, a Koran and ammunition on him," the source said.
François Banon, Disneyland Paris's Vice President of Communications, said the weapons were found as part of a "routine security screening".
"The police were immediately notified and the individual was arrested. We continue to work closely with the authorities, and the safety and security of our guests and cast members is our utmost priority," he said.
The man, 28, is understood to live in Paris, and was already known to police for a minor traffic infringement, reported Le Parisien.
A police source told AFP preliminary investigations did not point to terrorism, and that the man had said he was carrying the guns because he feared for his safety.
They then arrested a woman, believing her to be his girlfriend, but released her after realising they had the wrong person, one of the police sources said.
The site is Europe’s most-visited theme park with over 14 million visitors annually.
The local prosecutor praised the quick thinking of the security workers at the scene.
"I wish to stress that Disney's security services and the police force reacted immediately and took the person out of harm's way," he told Le Parisien.
"It remains unknown if the person intended to cause any harm."
Disneyland Paris is located about 30 kilometres east of central Paris. Photo: GoogleMaps
The news comes as France remains on edge and under a national state of emergency after terrorists killed 130 people in shootings around Paris in November.
France is on high alert after a devastating terror attack on Paris in November saw gunmen and suicide bombers target cafes, a concert venue and the Stade de France national stadium, leaving 130 dead and hundreds injured.
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the carnage.
It was the second major attack in France in a year, as the country has become a prime target for the jihadist group operating out of Iraq and Syria.
While Disneyland may sound like an obvious target for a terror attack, it wasn't featured on a recent list put together by French military intelligence of "prime terror targets" in France.
The intelligence workers listed seven landmarks in France - including one airport - that they say could be targeted in a "coordinated" terror attack, based on their research into jihadist social media sites.
Photo: CetusCetus/Flickr
Disneyland Paris is located east of Paris and has been gearing up for its 25th anniversary celebrations next year.
The Hotel New York is an American-themed hotel located 15 minutes from the main resort.
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The man was arrested early on Thursday afternoon as he tried to enter the New York Hotel at Disneyland Paris, with his guns, hidden in a concealed bag, setting off the alarms at the security gates, reports said.
The man was "detected upon his arrival at the hotel on the Disneyland site where he had a reservation. Hotel security found two handguns, a Koran and ammunition on him," the source said.
François Banon, Disneyland Paris's Vice President of Communications, said the weapons were found as part of a "routine security screening".
"The police were immediately notified and the individual was arrested. We continue to work closely with the authorities, and the safety and security of our guests and cast members is our utmost priority," he said.
The man, 28, is understood to live in Paris, and was already known to police for a minor traffic infringement, reported Le Parisien.
A police source told AFP preliminary investigations did not point to terrorism, and that the man had said he was carrying the guns because he feared for his safety.
They then arrested a woman, believing her to be his girlfriend, but released her after realising they had the wrong person, one of the police sources said.
The site is Europe’s most-visited theme park with over 14 million visitors annually.
The local prosecutor praised the quick thinking of the security workers at the scene.
"I wish to stress that Disney's security services and the police force reacted immediately and took the person out of harm's way," he told Le Parisien.
"It remains unknown if the person intended to cause any harm."
Disneyland Paris is located about 30 kilometres east of central Paris. Photo: GoogleMaps
The news comes as France remains on edge and under a national state of emergency after terrorists killed 130 people in shootings around Paris in November.
France is on high alert after a devastating terror attack on Paris in November saw gunmen and suicide bombers target cafes, a concert venue and the Stade de France national stadium, leaving 130 dead and hundreds injured.
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the carnage.
It was the second major attack in France in a year, as the country has become a prime target for the jihadist group operating out of Iraq and Syria.
While Disneyland may sound like an obvious target for a terror attack, it wasn't featured on a recent list put together by French military intelligence of "prime terror targets" in France.
The intelligence workers listed seven landmarks in France - including one airport - that they say could be targeted in a "coordinated" terror attack, based on their research into jihadist social media sites.
Photo: CetusCetus/Flickr
Disneyland Paris is located east of Paris and has been gearing up for its 25th anniversary celebrations next year.
The Hotel New York is an American-themed hotel located 15 minutes from the main resort.
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