French security arrests 5 terrorism suspects

Nov 9, 2010, 14:53 GMT

Paris - French officials Tuesday confirmed media reports that security officers had arrested five people on terrorism suspicions.

The officials confirmed a report by the broadcaster RTL in which the suspects were believed to have originated with terrorist cells in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region.

Two of the suspects were seized at Charles de Gaulle airport on Monday after their arrival on a flight from Egypt.

The other three were arrested Tuesday morning in Paris within the framework of an investigation of terrorism cases being carried out by a court. Specific information about the allegations were not given.

But according to RTL, some of the suspects were under suspicion of having made threats against Dalil Boubakeur, the rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris who is regarded as a moderate.

Amid heightened anti-terrorism measures, French authorities have by government accounts arrested more than 80 terror suspects since January. Of these, some two dozen remain in custody.

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