PARIS (AA) - France's Interior Ministry has announced police arrested a soldier over planning to stage an armed attack on a local mosque near the eastern city of Lyon.
The ministry said the 23-year old French soldier was said to have close ties to far-right political groups and that he was planning to open fire on the Minguettes mosque at Venissieux, a Lyon suburb, on the first day celebration for Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
The ministry said the soldier had attacked a mosque in the Bordeaux region last year.
The suspect is said to have psychological problems and police are investigating if he received help from anyone or group in planning the attacks.