France breaks up terrorist support network; Reuters recounts excuses for future terrorist attacks

French police detain 20 Islamist suspects in swoop:

PARIS (Reuters) - French police said on Monday they had smashed an Islamist terrorism ring in the greater Paris region, arresting about 20 people in a string of dawn raids.

Police described Monday's events as a "major operation aimed at disbanding an Islamist network linked to terrorism," conducted as part of a probe by Jean-Louis Bruguiere, France's leading anti-terrorism investigating magistrate.

Among those arrested were individuals linked to previous terrorism investigations and common crime, the police statement said. Those detained remained in custody and police were searching a number of premises and Internet cafes.

The operation was carried out by the DST domestic intelligence service, detectives from the organised crime unit and members of the crack RAID intervention squad.

Despite its strong opposition to the U.S.-led war in Iraq, France remains the target of Islamist militants because of its intelligence links with the United States and Britain. It also has troops in Afghanistan helping to combat Islamic militants.

Posted on 12 December 2005 @ 13:25