France arrests 10 more Islamist suspects in early-morning raids
Elite police arrested 10 suspected Islamists in early-morning raids across France on Wednesday in a clampdown ordered by President Nicolas Sarkozy after seven people were killed by an al-Qaida-inspired gunman last month.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/France-arrests-...
The DCRI domestic intelligence service, supported by elite police commandos, carried out arrests in the southern cities of Marseille and Valence, two towns in the southwest and in the northeastern town of Roubaix, a police source said.
The raids follow the arrest of 19 people on March 30, a week after police snipers shot dead gunman Mohamed Merah, who killed three Jewish school children, a rabbi and three soldiers in a spate of attacks around Toulouse.
"Those arrested have a similar profile to Mohamed Merah," a local police source said. "They are isolated individuals, who are self-radicalized."He told Reuters they were tracked on Islamists forums expressing extreme views and that they were planning to visit Afghanistan, Pakistan and West Africa to wage jihad, or holy war.
Most of Wednesday's raids were in the south and south-west, notably in Marseille but also in Carpentras, Valence and Pau,police sources told Agence France-Presse news agency.
There was also a raid in Roubaix, close to the Belgian border.The raids were organised by the DCRI intelligence agency and carried out by elite Raid and GIPN commandos.
The group's leader Mohamed Achamlane is one of nine people remanded in custody while police investigate allegations that they stashed weapons and plotted to kidnap a judge.
Police have been careful not to link the raids to the killings by Merah in Toulouse and Montauban.
The raids follow the arrest of 19 people on March 30, a week after police snipers shot dead gunman Mohamed Merah, who killed three Jewish school children, a rabbi and three soldiers in a spate of attacks around Toulouse.
"Those arrested have a similar profile to Mohamed Merah," a local police source said. "They are isolated individuals, who are self-radicalized."He told Reuters they were tracked on Islamists forums expressing extreme views and that they were planning to visit Afghanistan, Pakistan and West Africa to wage jihad, or holy war.
Most of Wednesday's raids were in the south and south-west, notably in Marseille but also in Carpentras, Valence and Pau,police sources told Agence France-Presse news agency.
There was also a raid in Roubaix, close to the Belgian border.The raids were organised by the DCRI intelligence agency and carried out by elite Raid and GIPN commandos.
The group's leader Mohamed Achamlane is one of nine people remanded in custody while police investigate allegations that they stashed weapons and plotted to kidnap a judge.
Police have been careful not to link the raids to the killings by Merah in Toulouse and Montauban.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/France-arrests-...