7 Terrorists Nabbed in France

Seven Suspected "Militants" held in France. (h/t The Jawa Report)

French authorities have detained seven suspected Islamic militants who allegedly trained to fight in Iraq by firing weapons in the woods of eastern France, police officials said Friday. Six of the men are French nationals of Bosnian origin, and the seventh is Algerian, the officials said. The men, ranging in age from early 20s to mid-40s, were arrested on Tuesday in the towns of Besancon and Pontarlier in eastern France. At least one was a student; another is a teacher.

Police and anti-terror investigators say anger over the Iraq war (oh yeah, that's right. See below.) has radicalized some young Muslims in France, which has Western Europe's largest Muslim population, estimated at 5 million.

Judicial authorities believe dozens of youths, some just young teens, have left from France for Iraq to join the insurgency. Some have been killed there. Police are particularly worried that some French youths with roots in North Africa may be traveling to Iraq, without being noticed, traveling via countries including Algeria and Morocco.

French counterterrorism officials worry that such militants could return home with skills learned in combat and a desire to carry out terror attacks in France — even though the country opposed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and has ruled out sending troops to help U.S. forces battling insurgents there.

Oh, but it's all about Iraq...really.

On a personal note, my husband travels to Besancon on business all the damn time...