JUST IN: France denounces rail line sabotage ahead Olympics opening ceremony

The “massive attack” against France’s high-speed TGV rail network was condemned as an “outrageous criminal act” by Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete on Friday, just hours before the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. The impact of the attack on the rail network is expected to have “very serious consequences” for rail traffic throughout the weekend, with connections towards northern, eastern, and northwestern France being halved, according to Vergriete. Additionally, Jean-Pierre Farandou, the chief executive of the rail operator SNCF, stated that approximately 800,000 passengers were affected by the attack.