France foils Paris bomb plot outside US bank, opens anti-terror probe

French police thwarted a bomb attack targeting a Bank of America branch in Paris on Saturday, prompting the country's counter-terrorism prosecutor to launch a formal investigation into what authorities are treating as a "terrorist criminal conspiracy." The foiled plot marks a significant security incident in the French capital and underscores ongoing threats to financial institutions and US targets in Europe. France's counter-terrorism apparatus, already heightened following previous attacks in the country, has opened a full probe to identify those behind the conspiracy and determine their affiliations or motives. The investigation will likely focus on how the plot was detected and prevented, as well as whether additional suspects or planned attacks remain under surveillance.