A French national was arrested in Yemen this week, bringing to five the number of French citizens held in the country and "due to be deported in the next few days," an official newspaper said. "A fifth French national was arrested two days ago," the weekly September 26, mouthpiece of the defense ministry, quoted an "interior ministry source" as saying. A local official in the southern port city of Aden said on Monday that four French nationals were being held in Yemen and France linked the detentions to last year's September 11 attacks on the United States. "These naturalized French citizens, who are of Arab origin, were arrested for breaching residency laws," said the source quoted by September 26. "The five entered Yemen without permits to study in institutes which are not recognized," the official added, referring to Koranic schools on which the government cracked down in the wake of the September 11 attacks. They were here illegally, and will be deported in the next few days."
They were jihadis in training, who will no doubt return to La Belle France and indulge in all sorts of socially useful activities... |