Paris: Three "radicalised and fanatical" women, who were arrested here for allegedly planning an "imminent and violent" attack in France, were guided by Islamic State (IS) terrorists in Syria, Francois Molins, Paris prosecutor said on Friday.
"In the last few days and hours a terrorist cell was dismantled, composed of young women totally receptive to the deadly IS ideology," Xinhua quoted Molins as saying.
"They were guided by individuals in Syria in the ranks of Islamic State ... that intends to use women as combatants," he added, noting that the IS has used even young women who develop their plot from distance.
"This commando's objective was clearly to carry out an attack," Molins said.
On Sunday, a Peugeot 607 containing seven gas cylinders, including an empty one on the front passenger seat and three cans of diesel fuel was found near the famous tourist place Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.
Earlier in the day, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said that an anti-terrorism operation led to the arrest of three women linked to an abandoned car containing gas cylinders on Thursday.
The suspects aged 19, 23 and 39 were "likely preparing a violent and imminent action", he said.
A police officer was injured on the shoulder when one of the women attacked him with a knife in the southeast of Paris, the minister said.
The 19-year-old woman is known to the police for attempting to leave for Syria.
Molins said the youngest of the three women and also the daughter of the car owner, had written a letter pledging allegiance to the IS group.
The 23-year-old suspect was also on the intelligence services watch list for radicalisation.
Previously she has been engaged to Larossi Abballa, who killed two policemen in June and after to Adel Kermiche, one of the men who slaughtered the murder of a priest in July, according to Paris prosecutor.
Her fiance and a 15-year-old teenage, a daughter of one of the suspects were also arrested in connection of the foiled attack near the cathedral.
