|
Terrorist threat high for France: police
PARIS - The terrorist risk for France is at a new high following threats last week from Al Qaeda and a failed suicide attack on French nationals in Algeria, the countrys senior police officer said Sunday. We dont want to create panic, but the threat is strong today, Frederic Pechenard, director-general of the national police told Le Journal du Dimanche newspaper. It is strong because we are involved in Lebanon and Afghanistan; because the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) has radicalised, changing its name and getting closer to Al Qaeda; and because Algeria, which is so close to us, is going through a difficult period, he said.Last Thursday Al Qaedas number two Ayman Al Zawahiri called for the cleansing of the sons of France and Spain from Islamic north Africa. Hours later a suicide-bomber rammed his car into a convoy in eastern Algeria, wounding two French engineers and an Italian. The French foreign ministry said it takes the Al Qaeda threat very seriously and has stepped up security at diplomatic missions in north Africa. Posted by: Steve White 2007-09-24 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=200029 |