French terror suspects arrested over fake baby bump

No explosives found in secret compartment made to look like pregnant belly, but couple’s computer shows they consulted bomb-making sites

By AFP 23 December 2015, 9:22 pm

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Illustrative: This photo taken on December 23, 2015 in the village of Pibrac, in the Haute-Garonne region, shows a French Vigipirate national security alert sign in front of a church before Christmas holiday celebrations. (Pascal Pavani/AFP)

PARIS — A French convert to Islam and her husband were under arrest on Wednesday after police discovered a fake stomach used to make someone appear pregnant.

The couple from the southern town of Montpellier, aged 23 and 35, respectively, were initially arrested on charges of condoning terrorism, a judicial source said.

But national counter-terrorist prosecutors were brought in last week after investigators found the homemade fake stomach, which could have been used to hide objects.

No explosives were found but an analysis of their computer found they had consulted bomb-making information and photos of jihadists, a source close to the investigation said.

The couple have not yet been charged.

Their arrest comes with France on high alert following the attacks in Paris of November 13 that left 130 dead.

Police say they foiled a jihadist plot last week near Orleans southwest of Paris by two men who were planning to attack “soldiers, police and representatives of the state.”