4 Apr 2012

Terror charges to be sought in France

8:20 am on 4 April 2012

A French prosecutor says he will seek terror charges against 13 suspected Islamists detained last week.

They were arrested after seven people were killed by a Muslim gunman in Toulouse last month.

Paris prosecutor Francois Molins also confirmed some of the suspects are accused of plotting to carry out kidnappings.

He said one of the intended kidnap targets was an investigating magistrate in Lyon.

The BBC reports the detained men are believed to be associated with a group called Forsane Alizza, which was banned last month.

Nineteen people were arrested in the raids on Friday. Three have been freed without charge.