Europe remains on high terror alert

French police have released three of the 12 suspects arrested in an anti-terror sweep following the attacks in Paris by Islamic extremists that killed 17 people and put Europe on high alert.

Paris prosecutor spokesman Denis Fauriat said nine other suspects detained on Friday will have questioning prolonged by 48 hours, a step allowed under France’s tough anti-terrorism laws.

Police in France, Germany and Belgium have arrested dozens of suspects in recent days as part of the anti-terror sweep sparked by the bloody spree in and around Paris, in which brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi and their friend Amedy Coulibaly killed 17 at satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, a kosher grocery and elsewhere.