The five, two of whom were minors at the time of the suspected plot, are charged with membership in a terrorist organisation.

After becoming aware of the group because of its backing for radical Islamist ideology and armed jihad, France’s domestic intelligence service DGSI dispatched two undercover agents to infiltrate the gang.

As well as the three French men, one member was born in Russia and another in Algeria.

According to the charges, what the agents heard at meetings, in addition to wiretap evidence, led police to suspect a plot for “a violent action targeting the surroundings of the Elysee palace, police guards and, possibly, civilians on the Champs-Elysees”, a  tourist hotspot close to the presidential palace.

In April 2019 one of the undercover agents, using the pseudonym Abu Mohamed, sent a post on the Telegram messaging service saying he had acquired two Kalashnikov assault rifles and left them in a Paris flat near the Gare du Nord.

Two days later two group members accompanied by the second undercover agent turned up to pick up the rifles and were arrested as they left the flat.

Another two men, one of whom allegedly helped finance the plot, were picked up later.

And the fifth was arrested accused of failing to alert the authorities when he was aware of the group’s plans.

The trial, most of which will be held behind closed doors to protect minors, is set to end on April 19th.