France Busts 12 in Terror Sweeps

Separate raids linked to Afghan recruiters, arms trafficking
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Oct 5, 2010 9:31 AM CDT
France Busts 12 in Terror Sweeps
French army soldiers patrol on a platform of the Gare du Nord train station in Paris, Monday, Sept. 20, 2010, as part of the reinforcement of the security in Paris.   (AP)

Authorities in southern France have arrested 12 people in sweeps against suspected Islamic militant networks, including three men linked to recruiting fighters for Afghanistan. A national police official says the arrests were part of two apparently separate counterterrorism case files. Firearms were seized in at least one of the ongoing searches.

In one case, two men were arrested in the southeastern city of Marseille and another in the southwestern city of Bordeaux on alleged ties to a Frenchman arrested in Italy last month who is linked to an Afghan recruiting ring. The official, who was not authorized to speak publicly, said the other nine suspects were arrested in southern France. Reuters reports that those arrests involved weapons trafficking. (More terrorism stories.)

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