A French soldier stands guard under the Eiffel Tower. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann
A French soldier stands guard under the Eiffel Tower. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann
A French soldier stands guard under the Eiffel Tower. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann
A French soldier stands guard under the Eiffel Tower. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

French police arrest seven for terror plot


Nicky Harley
  • English
  • Arabic

Security forces in France have arrested seven men over a suspected terror attack.

The group were arrested in the western coastal city of Brest and the surrounding Finistere region by France's DGSI domestic intelligence agency.

Some of the men were on France's "Fiche S" list of potential security risks because of their links with Islamic extremists.

It is believed they were planning a terror attack in France and preparing to travel to conflict zones in Iraq and Syria.

Investigators said they will continue to determine how far the suspects had advanced in their plans for the attack and flight to the Middle East.

France has been on high alert since a wave of terror attacks in 2015 which have killed more than 250 people.

Dozens of French citizens left to join ISIS in Syria and Iraq before US-led coalition forces dislodged the insurgents from their so-called caliphate last year.

ISIS leaders also urged followers in France to stage attacks on their own, often targeting security forces, and officials have said the threat of further ISIS-inspired attacks remains high.

French officials say they have foiled several terror plots in recent months.

Last May, police arrested a 16-year-old in the eastern city of Strasbourg as part of investigations into a suspected plot to attack security forces and possibly the presidential Elysee Palace.

Three adults and a teenager were arrested several weeks earlier over plans to carry out what Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said would have been an "extremely violent terror attack".

Just over a year ago ISIS extremist Cherif Chekatt killed five people and wounded 11 others during a shooting and stabbing spree at Strasbourg’s Christmas market.

He had also been on the terror watchlist, known as Fiche S, when he committed the atrocity and is believed to have become radicalised in prison.

Questions have been raised over the effectiveness of the Fiche S scheme.

There are believed to be 20,000 people on the list, 12,000 for suspected Islamist radical behaviour, however only a dozen are thought to be under 24-hour surveillance.

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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill

Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.