Man arrested in Disneyland Paris hotel with 2 handguns

A man carrying two handguns, ammunition and a Quran was arrested yesterday at a hotel in Disneyland Paris, and his girlfriend was also held, police sources said.

The man was "detected upon his arrival at the Disneyland hotel where he had a reservation. Hotel security found two handguns, a Quran and ammunition on him", said the source.

A separate police source said that the metal detector had rung out as the man passed through.

Police were called and arrested the suspect while they secured his vehicle. They then tracked down his girlfriend in the Paris region who was also taken into custody.

Papers found on the suspect indicated that he lived in Paris, however no further details were available about him.

A police source said initial elements of the investigation did not point to terrorism, and that the man had said he was carrying the guns because he feared for his safety.

France is on high alert after a devastating terror attack in November saw Islamic State group gunmen and suicide bombers target Paris cafes, a concert hall and the Stade de France national stadium, leaving 130 dead and hundreds injured.

The incident came as more than 20 schools in France, Italy and Britain were placed on alert yesterday after receiving threatening phone calls. The schools were placed under police surveillance.

Meanwhile in Britain, police said they were probing threats at 14 schools in central England believed to be "false and malicious."

The threats come two days after six Paris schools and 14 in Britain were evacuated following hoax bomb threats.