Ukraine convicts Frenchman for plotting Euro 2016 attacks

MOSCOW – A Ukrainian court has convicted a Frenchman on charges of preparing a terror attack during the 2016 European Championship and buying illegal weapons.

Gregoire Moutaux was also sentenced Monday to six years in prison at the Liuboml District Court in the northwestern Volyn region, according to Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s office spokesman, Andriy Lysenko.

Moutaux was arrested in May 2016 as he tried to leave Ukraine with an arsenal of weapons weeks before the start of the tournament hosted by France. Ukrainian security services had followed the man and allowed him to buy weapons and explosives in a sting operation.

Ukrainian officials said the man wanted to protest his government’s immigration policies and the spread of Islam by launching attacks on bridges, railways, a mosque and a synagogue.