Terrorist Suspects Arrested in France

Anti-terrorist police arrested 11 people in several parts of France early Tuesday in swoops on suspected Islamic extremists, police sources said.

In one operation focused on a network supplying false papers for jihadists returning from Afghanistan, police arrested two men in the Mediterranean port of Marseille and a third in the city of Bordeaux in the south-west.

Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux said the operation was proof that the government was doing everything it could to fight militants.

[Brice Hortefeux, French Interior Minister]:              
„Only this morning police operations directly linked to the fight against terrorism were launched in Marseille and Bordeaux which led to the arrest of three people. So to answer your question, the threat is real, our vigilance is total and every French person must know that we’re doing everything to ensure their security and their protection.“

In a separate operation eight people were arrested on suspicion of involvement in arms and explosives trafficking.

The arrests come after the U.S. State Department issued a warning to American citizens to exercise caution while traveling in Europe.

Britain also raised its terrorism threat level to „high“ from „general“ for its citizens traveling to Germany and France.

Foto: NTDTV