Islamic suspects held in Paris

FRANCE: Police in early-morning raids in poor Paris suburbs arrested 13 people suspected of links to the deadly suicide bomb…

FRANCE: Police in early-morning raids in poor Paris suburbs arrested 13 people suspected of links to the deadly suicide bomb attacks in Morocco last year, France's Interior Ministry said yesterday.

It said those detained were suspected of belonging to a militant Moroccan Islamic group that Spain suspects has al-Qaeda links and carried out last month's Madrid train bombings.

Those held were not directly linked to the commuter train bombings in Madrid on March 11th, the ministry said.

"Thirteen people have been held in custody. They are suspected of being members of the Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group," the statement said.

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"These operations follow long investigations carried out by the DST [counter-intelligence network] in co-operation with its foreign partners. They have no link with the recent attacks in the Spanish capital," it said.

In a speech in the National Assembly, Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said his newly-appointed government would step up its defences against possible attacks.

"I reaffirm our commitment to re-establishing the authority of the state, especially regarding interior security and terrorism," he said. "A draft bill on civil security will be submitted to you soon."

The suspects can be held for up to 96 hours without being formally placed under investigation - the final step under French law before formal charges can be pressed.

Two other people were released after being detained in the raids carried out at about 6.00 a.m. in Aulnay-sous-Bois, a suburb east of Paris, and Mantes-la-Jolie west of the capital.