French judge opens criminal proceedings against terror suspectsFebruary 10, 2013 - 14:10 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A French judge has opened criminal proceedings against four men suspected of links with Islamist militant networks in west Africa, BBC News reported. The four, who were detained in the Paris area earlier this week, are being investigated for possible "association with a terrorist enterprise". Three are French and one is from Mali. The government has warned of possible militant attacks in France in the wake of the French operation in Mali. Two of the four men are to remain in preventive detention. The two others were released, but must report regularly to authorities. French officials have said they were arrested in connection with the case of a French national arrested in Niger while trying to join Jihadist groups in neighboring Mali last year. The man was extradited to France, where criminal proceedings were launched against him in August. Last week French Interior Minister Manuel Valls said: "We have to continue dismantling these networks that want to either commit attacks on our soil or take individuals overseas to carry out jihad." France increased its domestic terror threat level after French forces went into action in Mali on 11 January to push back militants who had captured Timbuktu and other parts of northern Mali. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Armenia Security Council chief traveling to Qatar Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan will travel on a working visit to Qatar. Armenian Foreign Minister regrets “tragic loss” of Iranian counterpart The Armenian Foreign Ministry has expressed shock over the death of the Iranian President and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Armenian PM sends condolences to Iran Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sent a message of condolence to the Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei. Armenia, Turkey discuss restoration of historic bridge The meeting took place on May 17 in Ashgabat on the sidelines of an international conference of ministers of culture. |