Air Products and Chemicals Beefs Up Security at Bay Area Facilities Following French Terror Attack: Sources

A terror attack in France is having repercussions in Northern California.

The global company Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. was attacked in France and law enforcement sources say Bay Area locations of the company have their guard up, although no specific threats have been made public.

The company is a worldwide supplier of industrial gases used in the semiconductor industry and elsewhere. It has three facilities in Santa Clara and three more in Martinez. Security has been heightened after the Allentown, Pa.-based company was attacked in southeast France in what French terrorism investigators call a plot to blow up the facility.

Attackers tried running their vehicle into gas canisters. They also left the decapitated body of a transport company supervisor at the scene.

The prime suspect who was arrested, a 35-year-old employee of the transport company, had been under police surveillance from 2006 to 2008.

Air Products’ CEO Seifi Ghasemi called the attack and beheading "an unspeakable tragedy" and in a statement, said, “I am horrified and saddened by the attack on our facility in France. Security has been increased at Air Products locations around the world as a precautionary measure.”

The FBI in Oakland said it has been in contact with the company and local law enforcement, but declined to specify what sort of security measures were being considered or already implemented.