Plan to blow up U.S. embassy in Paris

By Vaiju Naravane

PARIS, SEPT. 20.Police in Paris have confirmed that terrorists planned to blow up the American embassy here. A Frenchman of an Algerian origin arrested in Dubai in late July told the investigators that an attack against the American Embassy in Paris had been planned. An official enquiry into his claims was opened here on September 10, the eve of the attack against Washington and New York.

Djamel Begal, who has double nationality, (French and Algerian) was arrested by the emirate police during her transmit halt in Dubai. His declarations during his interrogation have led to other arrests in Belgium and the Netherlands last week. For the moment, police are not certain that he is directly linked to the World Trade Center attacks. However, police do say that Djamel Begal was in direct touch with the headquarters of Osama bin Laden, the Saudi billionaire who is the prime suspect in the U.S. attacks.

French authorities have contacted police in the UAE for Djamel Begal extradition. The man had already aroused the suspicion of French secret services. He has been identified as an Islamic fundamentalist from the Salafist movement - a fundamentalist organisation that preaches a return to the original precepts of Islam - he is said to have undergone several training sessions in camps supervised by Osama in Afghanistan. The last of these training sessions, French authorities say, took place three years ago. He then began residing in Germany and Britain. Going under the guise of an emir, Begal is said to have been an important link in the chain of terrorists planning to attack American targets in France.

In August, the information obtained from Begal was a relaid to American, French, Belgian and Dutch authorities. Secret services of the three Europeans countries immediately placed some 50 persons under surveillance. In Paris, authorities say, telephone taps and informants confirmed that serious nature of the threat. They say suspicious movements by some of those followed were noticed around U.S. Installations in Paris.

The French say this prompted them to open official enquiries on September 10, on the eve of the U.S. attack.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : International
Previous : British forces likely to join mission
Next     : U.S. should involve Muslim nations: Lee