A police officer stands next to a burnt scooter outside the office of Jordan's military attaché in Paris on Wednesday, October 4, 2017. Thibault Camus / The Associated Press
A police officer stands next to a burnt scooter outside the office of Jordan's military attaché in Paris on Wednesday, October 4, 2017. Thibault Camus / The Associated Press

Scooter fire in western Paris triggers Jordan explosion scare



A scooter was set on fire in front of the Jordanian military attache's office in western Paris on Wednesday, police sources said, after Jordan's foreign ministry had earlier issued a statement saying a motorbike had exploded.

According to the Paris police department the fire spread to a diplomatic vehicle early in the morning, but there was nothing that "corresponded to an explosion".

An embassy official said the incident did not appear to intentionally target Jordan.

"A motorbike exploded in front of the building where the military attache's office is. The police are investigating," an embassy official said. "It doesn't seem to be an intentional act that targets Jordan."

Jordan's foreign ministry spokesman was quoted by the Jordanian state-run Petra news agency earlier saying that a motorbike exploded in front of Jordan's military mission, but that no staff were injured in the explosion.

The Jordanian ambassador in Paris was "reassured about the safety of the workers" in the military mission, said the report.

The Paris police department said an investigation had been opened, but there was nothing to suggest the incident was related to terrorism.

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Based: Dubai, UAE

Founded: 2014

Number of employees: 36

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