French police have arrested eight Muslims as part of an investigation into "planned" anti-Russian attacks in France
Published:
12 January 2004 y., Monday
Anti-terrorist officers from the DST domestic security service swooped on the suspects in dawn raids in the Venissieux suburb of Lyon on Tuesday.
Chellali Benchellali, the imam of Venissieux mosque, was detained along with his wife Hafsa and one of their sons, Hafed, as well as up to five others.
"(The arrests) will act as a brake on all these networks and this radical and political Islam which is doing so much harm in our suburbs," Venissieux mayor Andre Gerin, a communist, said. Another of the imam's sons, Mourad Benchellali, was previously arrested by US forces in Afghanistan and is being held at the US military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Around 10 people, mostly of Algerian origin, are already in detention as part of the Chechnya-related investigation launched by French magistrates in December 2002. Among the 10 is another of Chellali Benchellali's sons, Menad.
Šaltinis:
english.aljazeera.net
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
Forget burning bras, the latest in "women's liberation" is a product making a comeback in Japan that makers claim allows women to ditch tight-fitting underwear - loincloths.
more »
We revel in the ways in which mobile phones and wireless internet make our lives easier.
more »
For almost a decade a series of laws have protected Europe's workers from discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sexuality or religious beliefs.
more »
Earth Hour 2009 is an opportunity for hundreds of millions of people all around the world to switch off their lights as a demonstration, a symbolic action to show to governments we need you to take action on climate change.
more »
From 4-7 June millions of people will have their chance to vote in the European Parliament elections.
more »
One town in Poland has just started a "rent-a-grandparent" programme.
more »
A key component of the EU's internal market for goods and services is the possibility of buying and selling across Europe.
more »
Polish farmers are intimidated by the mysterious predator.
more »
The costs of fossil fuels are increasing and global warming is accelerating.
more »
According to archaeologists, the mummy of a 50-year-old woman, discovered on San Lorenzo island, was most likely an elite member of the Pre-Incan Ichma culture.
more »