An 18-year-old French man who claimed affiliation with the misogynist “incel” movement has been arrested and placed under formal investigation on suspicion of planning attacks targeting women, France’s national anti-terrorist prosecutor’s office (PNAT) has said.

The arrest on Wednesday was part of PNAT’s first case linked to the “incel” (involuntary celibate) movement, an online network of men motivated to engage in violence against women whom they believe unjustly reject their sexual or romantic advances.

PNAT confirmed on Tuesday that it had opened a judicial investigation “against a young man, aged 18, claiming to be a member of the incel movement”, adding that he was being investigated for allegedly “associating with terrorist criminals to prepare one or more crimes against people”.