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US bank Goldman Sachs placed under police surveillance in Paris

The Goldman Sachs logo above a trading post in the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange, 13 December 2016.
The Goldman Sachs logo above a trading post in the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange, 13 December 2016. Copyright  AP Photo/Richard Drew, File
Copyright AP Photo/Richard Drew, File
By Nathan Joubioux with AFP
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Police are on high alert days after a foiled attack on a Bank of America branch led to four people, including three minors, placed under formal investigation.

Goldman Sachs placed its Paris offices under police surveillance on Thursday after US authorities warned of a threat from a pro-Iranian group planning to attack US bank buildings in the city with explosive devices.

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American multinational investment bank and financial services company authorised its Paris employees to work remotely. "The safety of our employees is our absolute priority, and we are taking the necessary measures to ensure their security," a spokeswoman told AFP.

While the French government and security services believe that France itself will not be directly targeted, US and Israeli interests on French soil could potentially be targeted as a result of escalations in the Middle East.

When contacted by Euronews, Goldman Sachs did not wish to comment at this stage.

Bomb attack foiled

The alert follows a foiled bomb attack on a Bank of America branch in Paris on 28 March.

Four people, a young adult and three minors, have since been formally charged.

The adult is suspected of having recruited the teenagers, who were allegedly tasked with planting an explosive device outside the building.

France's National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office said the incident may be linked to a little-known Islamist group with possible ties to Iran, though no formal connection has been established.

The group Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI), which translates to the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right, has previously claimed responsibility for attacks on Jewish community targets in the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands.

The heightened security comes just over a month after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on 28 February, triggering a wider regional conflict.

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