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France security: Chechens arrested over alleged attack plan | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Police in southern France have detained five Chechens on suspicion of preparing an attack, prosecutors say. | |
The arrests took place in Beziers and Saint-Jean-de-Vedas, near Montpellier. | |
They come as France remains on high alert following attacks in Paris that killed 17, including 12 at the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. | |
Four men charged with supporting Amedy Coulibaly, one of the gunmen behind the attacks, are due to appear in court in Paris later on Tuesday. | |
It is not known whether the arrest of the Chechens is connected to the attacks in Paris earlier this month. | |
One suspect was arrested in the city of Beziers and another four were detained near Saint-Jean-de-Vedas, according to local media. | |
Certain "products" were recovered during police searches, officials said, without giving further details. Unconfirmed reports said a stash of explosives was found. | |
Chechnya, a highly restive and predominantly Muslim region in Russia, has seen large demonstrations against cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad published by Charlie Hebdo last week. | |
First to face charges | |
Three days of attacks began in Paris on 7 January when brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi burst into the offices of Charlie Hebdo, killing 12 people. | |
Coulibaly killed four Jewish hostages on 9 January before being shot dead by police. He is also believed to have shot dead a policewoman the day before. | |
The Paris prosecutor's office said the four men in court on Tuesday - the first to face charges in the Paris terror attacks - were suspected of providing logistical support to Coulibaly. | |
The men, aged 22 to 28, are expected to be placed under formal investigation. | The men, aged 22 to 28, are expected to be placed under formal investigation. |
They were among 12 people arrested in police raids on Friday. Three of the women detained in the raids were freed on Saturday and five people were released overnight on Tuesday. | |
Almost 15,000 extra police and troops have been mobilised to boost security across France since the Paris attacks. | |
Hundreds of soldiers are also being deployed across Belgium following a series of anti-terror raids and arrests. | Hundreds of soldiers are also being deployed across Belgium following a series of anti-terror raids and arrests. |
Meanwhile, a Malian employee who helped shoppers during the supermarket siege by Coulibaly is due to receive French nationality on Tuesday. | |
Lassana Bathily, a 24-year-old Muslim, hid customers inside a basement cold store when the gunman stormed the shop and took people hostage. | |
He will receive a French passport at a ceremony in his honour after his application was fast-tracked. | |
It comes after a petition was circulated calling for him to be granted citizenship. | |
He has lived in France for nine years and applied for citizenship last year. | He has lived in France for nine years and applied for citizenship last year. |
How the attacks unfolded (all times GMT) | How the attacks unfolded (all times GMT) |
Three days of terror | Three days of terror |