2 women convicted in failed 2016 Notre Dame car bomb plot

A French soldier patrols next to the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris on December 24, 2015 as part of security measures set following the November 13 Paris terror attacks. Dominique Faget, AFP

Two women who tried to blow up a car near Notre Dame cathedral have been convicted of terrorism charges in France and sentenced to 30 and 25 years in prison

Both women admitted taking part in the failed attack in September 2016 but traded blame on who bore more responsibility.

Ines Madani, now 22, pretended to be a returning Islamic State Group fighter who was enamored with Ornella Gilligmann.

Gilligmann contended she was responsible for the failure of the plot, which was encouraged by a notorious French Islamic State recruiter.

Madani received the longer sentence.

Two other women were convicted and sentenced to lesser terms in a related attack.

Prosecutors say the attempted explosion — long before this year's fire at the cathedral — could have killed dozens.

(AP)