France arrests 19 in terror crackdown

[jimmie]

French police detained 19 people Friday as they launched a crackdown on suspected Islamist extremists in cities around the country, the French president said, promising more raids to come.


Tensions are high following a spate of killings in southern France by a radical Islamist that left seven people dead and two wounded and ended up with police killing the gunman last week after a 32-hour standoff.


President Nicolas Sarkozy gave no details about the reasons for Friday's arrests or what the detainees were suspected of.


"It's in connection with a form of Islamist radicalism," Sarkozy said on Europe-1 radio. "There will be other operations that will continue and that will allow us to expel from our national territory a certain number of people who have no reason to be here."

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57406872/france-arrests-19-in-terror-crackdown/