At least one of the attackers in Friday's Paris tragedy "had a ticket" to the Germany-France soccer exhibition in Stade de France and "attempted to enter the 80,000-person venue." A security guard said that the attacker "was discovered wearing an explosives vest when he was frisked at the entrance to the stadium about 15 minutes into the game." While attempting to back away from security the guard said that the attacker "detonated the vest, which was loaded with explosives and bolts." The blasts occurred "during the first half of the game, sowing confusion throughout the stadium." The game "continued for the regulation 90 minutes" (WSJ.com, 11/14).
A few minutes after the first blast, a second terrorist "blew himself up outside the stadium and a third set his belt off inside a nearby McDonald’s, killing one person." Police suspect the stadium assailants "planned to set off the bombs inside the 80,000-seat arena, causing unimaginable carnage and triggering a manic stampede." Though the explosions could be heard inside the stadium, the game "wasn’t interrupted" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/15). Meanwhile, French authorities "cancelled the rest of the Trophee Bompard figure skating competition" in Bordeaux, France (AP, 11/14).
