Posted on 02/16/2005 1:58:33 PM PST by Pro-Bush
PARIS (Reuters) - An Islamist group broken up in France in 2002 had been planning an attack on the Eiffel Tower, three suspects arrested last month in Paris have told French investigators.
They told the DST domestic intelligence agency that a group affiliated with Chechen rebels had planned attacks on several Paris targets, including the Paris landmark, a judicial source said on Wednesday.
However, the projects were at the planning stages and the plans to attack the Eiffel Tower had not been finalised, the source told Reuters.
The information came from three Algerians arrested on January 11 -- Khaled Ouazane, his brother Maamar Ouazane and Hassen Habbar, according to the daily Le Parisien. All three have been placed under investigation and temporarily jailed.
Maamar Ouazane told DST agents that members of an Islamist group had told him in February 2002 of projects to attack the Eiffel Tower, a big clothing store in central Paris or police stations, the newspaper reported on Wednesday.
Investigators say the group was also planning to attack Russian interests in Paris, including a chemical weapons strike against Moscow's embassy in Paris.
France arrested 10 people in December 2002 suspected of belonging to the group, including Chellali Benchellali, the imam of a mosque in Venissieux in eastern France, and his eldest son Menad.
What? NO "Team America" posts yet?
Full Disclosure: America!! F*CK YEAH! (grin)
Sorry!
WHY!?!
It will soon be the tallest minaret in the Islamic Republic of France.
I think I understand, and its one of the few things we can all agree on ;-)
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