Teen Couple Faces Trial for 2017 Eiffel Tower Terror Plot

Their love story could have been ordinary if, in the middle of all this, there had not been outbursts of terrorism. Indeed, according to Le Parisien, Sara Z. was only 16 years old and was looking for her identity in the midst of an adolescent crisis. This is how she converted to Islam and sympathized with Thomas S., who was 20 years old. Thomas is also going through a period of turmoil and identity search that led him to turn to religion. His professional dreams have been shattered, especially that of joining the National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (GIGN).

From the virtual, their relationship takes a more serious turn. Thomas moves into a garage box under Sara’s apartment. They plan to get religiously married on February 11, 2017 and start looking for a tutor on Facebook.

But in reality, all this is only the beginning of a masterfully concocted plan by the two lovers, writes the newspaper. Thomas S. will blow himself up at the Eiffel Tower and Sara Z. will seek asylum in a Muslim country, as the "widow" of a "martyr". But their plan falls through when on February 10, 2017, they were intercepted by the investigators of the anti-terrorist sub-directorate (SDAT). In an apartment lent to Thomas, TATP, an unstable explosive, and significant chemistry equipment were discovered. The failure of the terrorist project of the two young people is due to the fact that Sara confided, without knowing it, to an undercover cyber-policeman.

More than two years after this experience for which the two lovers risk a lot, Sara would have changed according to her lawyer who admits that "she is no longer the young girl under the influence of this sincere and shared love, with Thomas. She has completely extricated herself from this whirlwind of radicalization and now has the necessary hindsight," insists Me Franck Berton.

For his part, Thomas still seems to be in the spiral of this compromising love. According to the newspaper, on April 12, 2019, he was still writing a letter to Sara which, according to the psychologist’s expertise, shows that the young convert, still in love, would have retained radical ideas and would make statements legitimizing violence in detention. Sara, on the other hand, after tumultuous stages, seems to have regained control of her life and sees things differently. Even the judges have noted a positive evolution to the point of allowing her to regain her freedom.

The couple is referred to the special assize court for minors for "criminal terrorist conspiracy" and "manufacture of explosives in connection with a terrorist enterprise". Thomas and Sara, now 23 and 18 years old, face 30 years of criminal imprisonment. They will be tried alongside Malik H., presented as the couple’s mentor, and three other suspects involved in a parallel terrorist project.