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| France Arrests 4 It Says Planned to Aid or Join Militants | France Arrests 4 It Says Planned to Aid or Join Militants |
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| PARIS — The French police arrested four men on Tuesday who were suspected of seeking to aid or join Islamic militants in the African desert, while French air and ground forces continued operations against militants in northern Mali. | PARIS — The French police arrested four men on Tuesday who were suspected of seeking to aid or join Islamic militants in the African desert, while French air and ground forces continued operations against militants in northern Mali. |
| Few details were made public about the suspects. According to the interior minister, Manuel Valls, and judicial officials, the men were arrested outside Paris and had links to a French citizen who was arrested in Niger in August. | Few details were made public about the suspects. According to the interior minister, Manuel Valls, and judicial officials, the men were arrested outside Paris and had links to a French citizen who was arrested in Niger in August. |
| That man, Cédric Lobo, 27, is currently being held in France awaiting trial on terrorism charges, said Agnès Thibault-Lecuivre, the spokeswoman for the Paris prosecutor’s office, which oversees terrorism investigations. Ms. Thibault-Lecuivre said Mr. Lobo planned to join jihadist fighters in Mali. | That man, Cédric Lobo, 27, is currently being held in France awaiting trial on terrorism charges, said Agnès Thibault-Lecuivre, the spokeswoman for the Paris prosecutor’s office, which oversees terrorism investigations. Ms. Thibault-Lecuivre said Mr. Lobo planned to join jihadist fighters in Mali. |
| The men detained on Tuesday were acquaintances of Mr. Lobo and attended the same mosque in Haÿ-les-Roses, just south of the French capital, she said. One of the men was Malian, Ms. Thibault-Lecuivre said, one was French-Algerian and two were French; they were between 38 and 22 years of age. Earlier news reports described three of the men as dual citizens of France and Congo. | The men detained on Tuesday were acquaintances of Mr. Lobo and attended the same mosque in Haÿ-les-Roses, just south of the French capital, she said. One of the men was Malian, Ms. Thibault-Lecuivre said, one was French-Algerian and two were French; they were between 38 and 22 years of age. Earlier news reports described three of the men as dual citizens of France and Congo. |
| Asked about possible charges against the men, Ms. Thibault-Lecuivre said, “It’s too early to tell you.” Under French law, the men can be held without charge for up to four days. | Asked about possible charges against the men, Ms. Thibault-Lecuivre said, “It’s too early to tell you.” Under French law, the men can be held without charge for up to four days. |
| Speaking on RMC radio, Mr. Valls, the interior minister, described the four as a “network” and said they had been under surveillance for several months. He did not say why investigators decided to arrest them on Tuesday. | Speaking on RMC radio, Mr. Valls, the interior minister, described the four as a “network” and said they had been under surveillance for several months. He did not say why investigators decided to arrest them on Tuesday. |
| Mr. Valls said that several dozen French citizens or residents have left the country in recent months to join Islamic militants, though most went to Syria to fight alongside rebel forces opposing the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. He said that a “handful” of French fighters are thought to be in or near northern Mali. Analysts estimate that there are 2,000 to 3,000 militant fighters there in all, most of them from Algeria, Mali, Mauritania or elsewhere in North or West Africa. | Mr. Valls said that several dozen French citizens or residents have left the country in recent months to join Islamic militants, though most went to Syria to fight alongside rebel forces opposing the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. He said that a “handful” of French fighters are thought to be in or near northern Mali. Analysts estimate that there are 2,000 to 3,000 militant fighters there in all, most of them from Algeria, Mali, Mauritania or elsewhere in North or West Africa. |
| Even so, the authorities are tracking “a few individuals” in France who may intend to join them, Mr. Valls said. In addition to Mr. Lobo, the Frenchman arrested in Niger, another French citizen is currently being held by the authorities in Mali on suspicion of plans to join the fighters, Ms. Thibault-Lecuivre said. | |
| Though French officials say that combat and security responsibilities in Mali will increasingly be turned over to Malian and African forces, the number of French troops in the country continues to rise: as of Tuesday, there were 4,000 French soldiers in Mali, the French military spokesman said, an increase of 500 from the weekend. French warplanes continue to strike the militants’ storage and training sites in the far north, the officials said. | |
| Worried about retaliatory violence at home, French officials have stepped up security in public places like train stations and subways, though Mr. Valls acknowledged that “no direct threat” against French interests had so far been detected. | Worried about retaliatory violence at home, French officials have stepped up security in public places like train stations and subways, though Mr. Valls acknowledged that “no direct threat” against French interests had so far been detected. |