French authorities have placed two young men under formal investigation over an alleged “deadly and antisemitic” attack plot, the country’s national counterterrorism prosecutor’s office said Sunday.

The suspects — brothers aged 22 and 20 — were arrested last Tuesday after police stopped their vehicle near a prison in northern France and discovered a semi-automatic firearm, a bottle of acid and an ISIS flag inside the car, according to the prosecutor’s office, known as PNAT.

Officials said the older suspect is an engineering student while the younger brother is unemployed.

Both men are now being investigated on charges of criminal terrorist conspiracy and possession of a weapon linked to a terrorist undertaking, authorities said. They have been placed in pre-trial detention as the investigation continues.

French prosecutors did not release the suspects’ full identities and provided few details about the nature of the alleged plot, including what specific target may have been under consideration.

However, investigators said jihadist propaganda was discovered on the suspects’ digital devices. Authorities also said one of the brothers recorded a video pledging allegiance to ISIS, evidence that the pair were inspired by extremist ideology.

The case comes amid growing fears across Europe and the United States about potential attacks targeting Jewish communities, particularly as tensions surrounding the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran ripple globally.

In the United States, a gunman crashed a truck into a synagogue in the Detroit area last week. In Europe, an explosion caused minor damage at a Jewish school in Amsterdam, while another blast sparked a fire at a synagogue in Belgium days earlier.

French authorities have already taken additional precautions in response to the rising threat. The Interior Ministry reinforced security around shuls earlier this month, deploying additional police patrols and protective measures.

France’s National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (CNCDH) has previously noted that antisemitic acts in the country tend to rise following Israeli military operations in the Middle East.

After the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, antisemitic incidents in France surged to a record high, according to the commission’s data. While the number of reported incidents fell by 16 percent in 2025 compared with the previous year, officials say the threat remains serious.

Authorities have not said when the two suspects are expected to appear in court as the investigation moves forward.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)