French Court Convicts 25 in Planned Terror Attack

A French court convicted 25 people today for planning a terror attack in Paris, though prosecutors were unable to prove that biological weapons were to have been used, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, Jan. 12, 2004).

Police raids on two houses outside Paris in December 2002 yielded gas canisters, fuses, chemicals and protective gear. In January 2004, investigators discovered ricin and other materials in another raid.

Five defendants each received eight to 10 years in prison, while 20 received lesser sentences and two were acquitted. All but one were suspected of supporting Islamic Chechen rebels, AP reported (Verena von Derschau, Associated Press/Yahoo!News, June 14).