Five sticks of explosive have been found and disabled in a top Paris department store, French police say.
Five sticks of explosives have been found and made safe in a top Paris department store, French police say.
The Printemps Haussmann store was evacuated and cordoned off after the discovery, the AFP news agency said.
The Printemps Haussmann store was evacuated and cordoned off, and police directed traffic away from the area.
AFP said it had received a letter signed by a group calling itself the Afghan Revolutionary Front warning of "several bombs" placed in the store.
AFP said it had received a written tip-off signed by a group calling itself the Afghan Revolutionary Front warning of "several bombs" placed in the store.
It quoted the French interior minister saying the explosives did not include any detonation device.
Officials said the explosives, planted in washrooms on the first and second floors, did not include detonators.
The store was evacuated as Paris was busy with shoppers ahead of Christmas.
The store, on the city's central Boulevard Haussmann, was evacuated as the area was busy with shoppers ahead of Christmas.
The Afghan Revolutionary Front is a previously unknown group.
The Afghan Revolutionary Front is a previously unknown group.
AFP reported that it was calling for the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Afghanistan by February next year.
France has about 3,000 troops serving with Nato in Afghanistan.
France has about 3,000 troops serving with Nato in Afghanistan.
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