Authorities Arrest Frenchman Suspected In New Terror Plot

A Frenchman in the "advanced stages" of a plot to attack the country was arrested Thursday during a raid northwest of Paris, and security forces locked down the area during a major search, France's interior minister said.

Bernard Cazeneuve said the individual was suspected of being involved at a "high level" of the plan being hatched by a terrorist network.

Cazeneuve said there were no links "at this stage" between the plot and the attacks in Brussels this week or in Paris in November.

The raid took place on an apartment in Argenteuil, on the northern outskirts of Paris, but Cazeneuve offered no details on the operation. He did said bomb squads were on site, according to The Associated Press.

Still reeling from the Nov. 13 terror attacks that killed 130 people, France has cracked down on possible terror cells operating in the country. Cazenueve said there have been 75 arrests since the beginning of the year, and 28 suspects have been jailed.

Cazeneuve said the arrest was the result of a thorough investigation conducted over several weeks, which comprised physical and technical surveillance, as well as close cooperation between European services. He said it demonstrates the intense activity of France's counter-terrorism programs.