French claim Islamic radicals were planning to launch chemical attack

THREE alleged Islamic radicals arrested by French counterintelligence agents had possession of unidentified chemicals they were planning to use in an attack, according to judicial officials and media reports yesterday.

The men, reportedly Algerians, were taken into custody on Monday in suburban Paris. They also had $5,000 in cash, a computer and Islamic propaganda documents, judicial officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The officials did not disclose the identity of the suspects but said it was believed they had spent time in training camps in Afghanistan and Chechnya.

Quoting unidentified police officials and agents from the counterintelligence service DST, the daily Le Parisien reported that the suspects had been preparing a chemical attack. French police teams removed the chemicals from a public housing project in the suburb La Courneuve after the arrests, the report said.

Judicial officials said the exact nature of the substances would be determined by a laboratory study. It was unclear where and when the chemicals were to have been used.

Radio and TV news reports said the chemicals were capable of being turned into a gas that could be used to pollute public drinking water systems, but a spokeswoman for France’s judicial police declined to comment on those reports.

The men are suspected of “criminal association in connection with a terrorist enterprise" in connection with an investigation begun November 13 into the activities of Chechen groups, the daily Le Figaro reported.

They were taken into custody on orders from top anti-terrorist judge Jean-Louis Bruguiere.

Bruguiere, who is investigating several plots and attacks both in France and abroad, has broad powers to pursue suspects, search their homes, tap their phones, arrest, interrogate and charge them.

More than 20 suspects were taken into custody in five operations since November 24, but only eight are still behind bars.