France - "coordinated arson attack" on rail network

The locations where the fires took place. For context these are TGV (high speed train) lines. Trains are still running but they are using the local rail network lines instead, lots of cancellations and delays.

d15df94_1721982832245-trafic-sncf-3x.png


The one on the line heading to the South East was found before any damage occurred.
 
Probably the German DB to distract from their failures during the Euros...
 
Kinda highlights how benign JSO protestors are, no?
 
This would be a bit beyond vandalism if it was Russia no?

An attack on critical infrastructure would be a literal declaration of war.
 
First indications are that the attacks were on the cabinets/ducts that contain the fibre-optic cables that send signalling and other information between the trains and the signalling and network control centres. That's according to SNCF.

It looks like attack on the south east line got stopped by railway workers who were out doing routine overnight maintenance near a signal box. They spotted "several" unauthorised people on/near the line who ran away when challenged.

https://www.lyonne.fr/vergigny-8960...acte-malveillant-evite-dans-l-yonne_14541729/
 
First rome, now french railways. These vandals need to be stopped.
 
Will be interesting to see who the perps are. I'd be a bit surprised if Russia was behind this as it would be quite audacious.

Seems more like something internal. As mentioned, maybe people who aren't happy with the election results.

We'll see.
 
There's going to be a lot of speculation. Accusations are flying at everyone from the far right via Russia to the ultra left and the anti-Olympics protestors. The nature of the attacks (seemingly low tech but coordinated and well targeted) make the field pretty wide. They've seemingly chosen to avoid loss of life but to cause the maximum disruption - again leaving the field wide open.

The official spokesmen are all trying to avoid using words like terrorist etc. They're all taking about the impact on travellers (today is one of the big holiday migration days) and the plan for getting the train network back in action.
 
Would this be a failure of French intel? I know you can't prevent everything but the Olympics is a major event.
 
No way this would be Russia, right? This is an attack on critical infrastructure in a NATO country, which would probably be enough to declare article 5 (in theory).
 
onemanarmy said:
No way this would be Russia, right? This is an attack on critical infrastructure in a NATO country, which would probably be enough to declare article 5 (in theory).
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I highly doubt this is article 5 worthy. NATO wants to prevent war and is willing to tolerate a lot.

But this seems rather audacious if it was Russia. I'd be more inclined that a domestic group is behind it.
 
What would be the punishment for such sabotage in French law?
 
VorZakone said:
What would be the punishment for such sabotage in French law?
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It's in French but:​

LE PARQUET DE PARIS SE SAISIT​

Le parquet de Paris annonce à l'instant qu'il se saisit au titre de la JUNALCO (Juridiction Nationale de Lutte contre la Criminalité Organisée) de l’ensemble des dégradations volontaires causées sur des sites SNCF dans la nuit du 25 au 26 juillet 2024.
Une enquête est ouverte des chefs de :
  • Détérioration de bien de nature à porter atteinte aux intérêts fondamentaux de la nation, crime faisant encourir 15 ans de détention criminelle et 225 000 euros d’amende, sur lequel le parquet de Paris a compétence exclusive
  • Dégradations et tentatives de dégradations par moyen dangereux en bande organisée, crimes faisant encourir 20 ans de réclusion criminelle et 150 000 euros d’amende
  • Atteintes à un système de traitement automatisé de données en bande organisée, délit faisant encourir 10 ans d’emprisonnement et 300 000 euros d’amende
  • Association de malfaiteurs en vue de commettre ces crimes et délits, délit faisant encourir 10 ans d’emprisonnement et 150 000 euros d’amende.
 
Presumably if it's a political group we should learn something about their motives shortly, otherwise what would be the point?
 
VorZakone said:
Will be interesting to see who the perps are. I'd be a bit surprised if Russia was behind this as it would be quite audacious.

Seems more like something internal. As mentioned, maybe people who aren't happy with the election results.

We'll see.
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Russia has been trying to sabotage the olympics for a while via various means. It would be surprising if it weren't Russia. They've attacked infrastructure and factories across Europe this way already.
 
Paul the Wolf said:

It's in French but:​

LE PARQUET DE PARIS SE SAISIT​

Le parquet de Paris annonce à l'instant qu'il se saisit au titre de la JUNALCO (Juridiction Nationale de Lutte contre la Criminalité Organisée) de l’ensemble des dégradations volontaires causées sur des sites SNCF dans la nuit du 25 au 26 juillet 2024.
Une enquête est ouverte des chefs de :
  • Détérioration de bien de nature à porter atteinte aux intérêts fondamentaux de la nation, crime faisant encourir 15 ans de détention criminelle et 225 000 euros d’amende, sur lequel le parquet de Paris a compétence exclusive
  • Dégradations et tentatives de dégradations par moyen dangereux en bande organisée, crimes faisant encourir 20 ans de réclusion criminelle et 150 000 euros d’amende
  • Atteintes à un système de traitement automatisé de données en bande organisée, délit faisant encourir 10 ans d’emprisonnement et 300 000 euros d’amende
  • Association de malfaiteurs en vue de commettre ces crimes et délits, délit faisant encourir 10 ans d’emprisonnement et 150 000 euros d’amende.
Click to expand...
THE PARIS PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE

The Paris public prosecutor's office has just announced that it is taking charge under JUNALCO (National Jurisdiction for the Fight against Organized Crime) of all deliberate damage caused on SNCF sites during the night of July 25 to 26, 2024 .An investigation is opened by the heads of:

  • Deterioration of property likely to harm the fundamental interests of the nation, a crime punishable by 15 years of criminal detention and a fine of 225,000 euros, over which the Paris public prosecutor's office has exclusive jurisdiction
  • Damage and attempted damage by dangerous means by an organized gang, crimes punishable by 20 years of criminal imprisonment and a fine of 150,000 euros
  • Attacks on an automated data processing system by an organized gang, an offense punishable by 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of 300,000 euros
  • Association of criminals with the aim of committing these crimes and offenses, an offense punishable by 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of 150,000 euros.
 
This will take a while to get fixed if it is the location boxes that have been targeted. That is if they use the same system as the uk, as the wiring, testing, commissioning etc that goes into a single location case would take days to redo, plus finding the stock equipment on hand to change it all
 
Frosty said:
THE PARIS PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE

The Paris public prosecutor's office has just announced that it is taking charge under JUNALCO (National Jurisdiction for the Fight against Organized Crime) of all deliberate damage caused on SNCF sites during the night of July 25 to 26, 2024 .An investigation is opened by the heads of:

  • Deterioration of property likely to harm the fundamental interests of the nation, a crime punishable by 15 years of criminal detention and a fine of 225,000 euros, over which the Paris public prosecutor's office has exclusive jurisdiction
  • Damage and attempted damage by dangerous means by an organized gang, crimes punishable by 20 years of criminal imprisonment and a fine of 150,000 euros
  • Attacks on an automated data processing system by an organized gang, an offense punishable by 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of 300,000 euros
  • Association of criminals with the aim of committing these crimes and offenses, an offense punishable by 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of 150,000 euros.
Click to expand...
Thanks for taking the time to run the translation.
 
Frosty said:
THE PARIS PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE

The Paris public prosecutor's office has just announced that it is taking charge under JUNALCO (National Jurisdiction for the Fight against Organized Crime) of all deliberate damage caused on SNCF sites during the night of July 25 to 26, 2024 .An investigation is opened by the heads of:

  • Deterioration of property likely to harm the fundamental interests of the nation, a crime punishable by 15 years of criminal detention and a fine of 225,000 euros, over which the Paris public prosecutor's office has exclusive jurisdiction
  • Damage and attempted damage by dangerous means by an organized gang, crimes punishable by 20 years of criminal imprisonment and a fine of 150,000 euros
  • Attacks on an automated data processing system by an organized gang, an offense punishable by 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of 300,000 euros
  • Association of criminals with the aim of committing these crimes and offenses, an offense punishable by 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of 150,000 euros.
Click to expand...

I thought people could spare two seconds of their time running it through Google translate :lol:
 
P-Nut said:
This will take a while to get fixed if it is the location boxes that have been targeted. That is if they use the same system as the uk, as the wiring, testing, commissioning etc that goes into a single location case would take days to redo, plus finding the stock equipment on hand to change it all
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SNCF said that everything will be normal by the end of the week end with one of the lines being fixed tomorrow morning by 6am.
 
P-Nut said:
This will take a while to get fixed if it is the location boxes that have been targeted. That is if they use the same system as the uk, as the wiring, testing, commissioning etc that goes into a single location case would take days to redo, plus finding the stock equipment on hand to change it all
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Ahah - the cafs resident professional train-signal-box person appears.

One day, one day there’ll be a thread appear where I have expert knowledge :(
 
T00lsh3d said:
Ahah - the cafs resident professional train-signal-box person appears.

One day, one day there’ll be a thread appear where I have expert knowledge :(
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There's nothing stopping you creating one, doesn't mean anyone will read it though :)
 
JPRouve said:
SNCF said that everything will be normal by the end of the week end with one of the lines being fixed tomorrow morning by 6am.
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The fires must have been responded to pretty sharply then, or they use a different technology than we use in Britain. The amount of wiring in 1 case would take a team several days to knock up, and then testing each and every circuit probably the same again.

If they are just spot rewiring it, or replacing whole modules the time decreases dramatically.

T00lsh3d said:
Ahah - the cafs resident professional train-signal-box person appears.

One day, one day there’ll be a thread appear where I have expert knowledge :(
Click to expand...

Years of wiring and maintaining these things on the railway in Britain finally pays off, and I have my moment on the caf.
 
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