Fibre optic networks ‘sabotaged’ across France days after railway attacks sparked chaos on opening day of Paris Olympics

FIBRE optic networks have been “sabotaged” in several parts of France cutting phone lines in parts of the country.

It comes just days after the country’s high speed rail network was targeted by saboteurs, bringing travel chaos on the opening day of the Olympics.

French fibre optic networks in France have gone down

Friday’s sabotage of the high speed rail network saw arson attacks on signal cables

Phone outages across France on Monday show a spike in areas where the cables were cut

Hundreds of thousands of passengers had their trains delayed or cancelled

The cables of several telecom operators in electrical cabinets were “cut” in six areas of France, but Paris is not affected, police said on Monday.

Departments affected are in top and bottom of the country.

They include: Hérault, Bouches-du-Rhône, Oise, Meuse, Drôme and Aude, according to Le Parisien.

The sabotage has affected landlines rather than mobile phones after telephone operators SFR and Bouygues were targeted.

There has been no claim of responsibility yet and it is unknown how many are affected.

On Friday, high speed rail services were cancelled following “coordinated acts of malice” against the rail network.

Three arson attacks against signal cables hit lines run by operator SNCF, leaving massive queues at train stations and operators, including the Eurostar, telling travellers to stay at home.

On Monday, trains were reportedly working again but the perpetrators remained unknown.

It is not clear whether the telephone cable cut and the railway arsons are linked.

Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said on Monday morning the investigation into Friday’s attack was “progressing very well, we will find the people who did this”.

French authorities have arrested one activist of an ultra-left wing movement at an SNCF rail company site on Sunday, a police source said Monday.

The man was detained at Oissel in northern France and had access keys to SNCF technical premises, tools and literature linked to the ultra-left.

GettyTrains were brought to a halt Friday following a ‘sabotage’ attack[/caption]

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