France suspects an Iran link after foiling bomb attack outside Bank of America

PARIS (AP) - French authorities are investigating a suspected link to Iran after thwarting a bomb attack outside a Bank of America building in Paris, the interior minister said Monday. Five people are in custody.

Authorities suspect a link due to similarities with other recent attempted attacks in Europe for which a pro-Iran group claimed responsibility, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said.

On Saturday morning, Paris police officers spotted two suspects carrying a shopping bag near the Bank of America office in the 8th arrondissement of the French capital. The national anti-terrorism prosecutor's office is looking into alleged terrorism-related offenses.

The "modus operandi is in every respect similar to actions that have been carried out in the Netherlands and in Belgium," Nuñez said on French radio RTL. In those cases, there were claims by a pro-Iranian group that "linked them to the conflict" in the Middle-East.

The group, known on Telegram as Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, which translates as the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right, also claimed responsibility for an attack last week in London, where four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity were set on fire.

"Typically, intelligence services of this country (Iran) operate in this way: They use proxies, a series of subcontractors, often common criminals, to carry out highly targeted actions aimed at U.S. interests, the interests of the Jewish community, or Iranian opposition figures," Nuñez said.

Nuñez said French authorities have stepped up security around key personalities and sites since the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran on Feb. 28, including personal protection for some people from the Iranian opposition.

Bank of America spokesperson Bill Halldin told The Associated Press the bank is "communicating with the French authorities" about the investigation. He did not elaborate.

The bank has hundreds of employees in France. Staff returned to work Monday at the targeted office, which is about 600 meters (yards) from the French presidential palace.