France’s new foreign minister has rejected a reported message from al-Qaida’s North Africa branch saying that Paris should negotiate with Osama bin Laden over the fate of five French hostages seized from an African mining town.

Osama bin Laden has threatened France with terror attacks for passing a law that bans Muslim-style face veils.

Osama bin Laden warned France in a new taped message that its citizens face being killed in revenge attacks.

Seven people have been kidnapped in Niger, a spokeswoman for France’s state-owned nuclear reactor builder Areva said today.