France arrests 10 in probe of alleged far-right terror plot

Suspects believed linked to Logan Alexandre Nisin, who French authorities say kept Facebook page praising Norway's Anders Behring Breivik

Illustrative: Members of the French Judiciary Police (PJ) and a naval firefighter after a police search at the home of one of the two men arrested in Marseille on suspicion of preparing an attack just days ahead of the first round of France's presidential vote, April 18, 2017. (AFP/Boris Horvat)

PARIS — French counterterrorism police have arrested 10 people allegedly linked to a far-right extremist who already was in custody on suspicion of planning attacks against mosques, politicians and migrants.

A French judicial official told The Associated Press that officers investigating the militant held the people detained on Tuesday under a possible charge of criminal terrorist association.

The suspected extremist only has been identified as Logan Alexandre Nisin, former militant of the far-right group Action Francaise Provence. He was arrested in June and given preliminary charges after intelligence agents learned of his alleged attacks. They claim he maintained a Facebook page glorifying Anders Behring Breivik, a convicted far-right Norwegian terrorist who killed 77 people.

The police are questioning the 10 suspected associates to find out what they knew about Nisin’s plans.

The suspects, aged 17-25, included nine men and one woman, a source close to the investigation said.

Another source named the targeted politicians as government spokesman Christophe Castaner and radical left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon.

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