Police in southern France have detained five people in moves to dismantle an alleged network sending militant Islamists to Syria. The crackdown was
ADVERTISEMENTPolice in southern France have detained five people in moves to dismantle an alleged network sending militant Islamists to Syria.
The crackdown was centred on Lunel a small town near France’s Mediterranean coast, amid local media reports that up to 10 people from there had sought to wage jihad.
Two of the arrested had returned from Syria, a police source said.
“A particularly dangerous and organised network was broken up today,” said French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, whose government has deployed thousands of soldiers and extra police since the Jan. 7-9 attacks on satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket.
Islamist gunmen killed 17 people in the Paris attacks.