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France foils possible (Bio /Germ) terror attack!
UPI via Drudge ^ | 12-17-2002 | By Elizabeth Bryant

Posted on 12/17/2002 1:15:10 PM PST by vannrox

France foils possible terror attack

By Elizabeth Bryant
United Press International

From the

International

Desk

Published 12/17/2002 12:43 PM

PARIS, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Three men arrested in the Paris region may have been plotting a biological or chemical attack, France's Interior Minister said Tuesday.

"This is not a small affair," Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy told the National Assembly. "This is serious. When one finds people who have this material we do well to arrest them."

Police seized empty containers, vials of suspicious-looking fluids and powders and an outfit designed for protection against chemical and biological risks, Sarkozy said, adding that at least $5,000 in cash and false documents were also found during Monday's police raid in the Paris suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis.

If the tests identify chemical or biological elements, the results would confirm European fears that attacks would take more deadly forms seen with biological or chemical weapons.

British officials recently announced foiling such an attack intended to target London's underground.

According to French media reports, all three men arrested Monday are believed to be members of al Qaida, who trained in Afghanistan and spent a stint in the breakaway Russian republic of Chechnya. Tuesday, Sarkozy confirmed the Chechnya connection.

The suspects are men of Algerian or Moroccan origin, Sarkozy said. A woman was arrested Tuesday and was identified as the wife of one of the suspects.

The group has apparently been under police surveillance in recent months, French media reports said. Their leader, Mirouane Ben Ahmed, was believed linked to Frankfurt, Germany-based Islamist radicals charged with plotting a terrorist attack on the French city of Strasbourg two years ago.

The Saint-Denis group allegedly has links as well to Islamist leader Abou Doha, at present jailed in Britain, and suspected of being a key player within a network of radical groups in Europe.

This week's arrests are only the latest in a slew of round-ups that have taken place in Europe, since September 2001.

In France, they include recent linked to Nizar Nawar, an alleged al Qaida member believed to have staged a suicide attack on a historic Tunisian synagogue. At least two of Nawar's relatives in France have been charged with aiding in a terrorist operation.

Copyright © 2002 United Press International
 


TOPICS: Breaking News; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 911; alqaida; alquiada; anti; battle; binladen; bio; biologicalattack; biowarfare; britishterrorism; france; frenchterrorism; germ; muslims; preventedattack; religionofpeace; terror; war; wtc
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To: vannrox
Police seized empty containers, vials of suspicious-looking fluids and powders and an outfit designed for protection against chemical and biological risks,

Maybe they were Sean Penn groupies?

21 posted on 12/17/2002 1:30:01 PM PST by RobFromGa
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To: *Bio_warfare
bump
22 posted on 12/17/2002 1:30:44 PM PST by The Obstinate Insomniac
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To: Illbay
The French population will likely blame this on the U.S., ala, attacking the helpless Islamists.
23 posted on 12/17/2002 1:31:21 PM PST by mikhailovich
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To: vannrox
"This is not a small affair," Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy told the National Assembly. "This is serious. When one finds people who have this material we do well to arrest them."

And yet France will be the first in line to decry any effort to disarm Saddam and his Chem/Bio/Nuke weapons.

24 posted on 12/17/2002 1:32:33 PM PST by Teacher317
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Comment #25 Removed by Moderator

To: riri
As a matter of fact, yes, we are going on a cruise. Why not? There isn't room for ALL of us under the bed!
26 posted on 12/17/2002 1:35:18 PM PST by Trust but Verify
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To: per loin
How long does it take the French to figure out what was in the vials?

The wine tasting is scheduled for next week. My bet is on Pouilly Fuisse '87

27 posted on 12/17/2002 1:37:03 PM PST by Focault's Pendulum
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To: aristeides; okie01; The Great Satan; Mitchell
"and powders..."

No doubt a crafty planting of evidence by the man of superhuman powers, Hatfill! Bwa ha ha!

< /sarcasm>

28 posted on 12/17/2002 1:37:52 PM PST by Shermy
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To: Diogenesis
Love the pic!

SURRENDER MONKEYS!!!!!
29 posted on 12/17/2002 1:39:46 PM PST by walkingdead
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To: Darksheare
"I'm getting better!"

No, you're not. He'll be dead any minute now...

30 posted on 12/17/2002 1:40:47 PM PST by Billthedrill
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To: per loin
How long does it take the French to figure out what was in the vials? do they have to send it to Germany for analysis?

Maybe if they taste it they can figure out what it is. Haaarrrrr.

31 posted on 12/17/2002 1:41:42 PM PST by concerned about politics
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To: Billthedrill
"Here now, I can't take him like this!"
32 posted on 12/17/2002 1:41:46 PM PST by Darksheare
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To: Diogenesis
Can't we have a single thread on FR that doesn't contain Lott?
33 posted on 12/17/2002 1:42:25 PM PST by per loin
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To: vannrox
France foils possible terror attack

How, by surrendering?

34 posted on 12/17/2002 1:42:51 PM PST by mhking
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To: Shermy
Wasn't there a report Hatfill was going to Iraq as one of the inspectors? Maybe he snuck from Iraq to France.
35 posted on 12/17/2002 1:43:12 PM PST by aristeides
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To: vannrox
This is serious. When one finds people who have this material we do well to arrest them."

Vey series.

36 posted on 12/17/2002 1:43:47 PM PST by concerned about politics
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To: Darksheare
[Thumping sound.] "Oh, thank you..."
37 posted on 12/17/2002 1:44:10 PM PST by Billthedrill
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To: vannrox
Three men arrested in the Paris region may have been plotting a biological or chemical attack

Yes, they may have, but I'm betting against it. The frogs just want to show us that they're at least making an attempt to fight the WOT. Let's face it, if these were genuine terrorists, France would've surrendered to them.

38 posted on 12/17/2002 1:44:11 PM PST by Mr. Mojo
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To: vannrox
My guess is that they were developing a new type of sourdough.

For Parisian cheese eaters to have bread flown in daily from San Francisco must have grated on them (ESPECIALLY when the brand name is "Parisian").
39 posted on 12/17/2002 1:46:09 PM PST by Carry_Okie
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To: Trust but Verify
I'm not a the cruisin' sort but if I were I don't think all the illnesses would dissuade me. Heck, I flew to Fla. and went to Disney and Universal during Thanksgiving week. I think my insurance company would raise my premium for that. LOL

My point, just makes you wonder. That is why I would be curious to know what was in the vials. If it were something non-fatal, it would take away the argument that the terrorist would not use a bio weapon unless it were deadly.

40 posted on 12/17/2002 1:46:13 PM PST by riri
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