Nine men and one woman aged 32 to 69 were arrested in raids across France late on Saturday in places as far-flung as the Mediterranean island of Corsica and Versailles in the greater Paris region of Ile-de-France.

The suspects, whose detention was extended late Monday for a further 48 hours, had an "ill-defined plan to commit a violent act targeting people of the Muslim faith," one source close to the probe said.

Police have linked the ten to a little-known group called Action des Forces Operationnelles (Operational Forces Action), which urges French people to combat Muslims, or what it calls "the enemy within".

Rifles, handguns and homemade grenades were found during searches in the Paris area, the Mediterranean island of Corsica and the western Charentes-Maritimes region. The group's suspected leader, identified as Guy S., was a monitor for the far-right National Front during last year's presidential and legislative elections, according to the mayor of the western town of Tonnay-Charente.

Photo: RAID police officers

But a local official for the party, since rebaptised the National Rally, said the man, a retired police officer, did not figure on party membership lists and was not among the party's known "supporters". Party leader Marine Le Pen welcomed the arrests, saying "any terrorist attack targeting people must obviously be repelled with the utmost force."

So, what's the story of the AFO and how dangerous are they?

In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in France a group called Volunteers for France whose goal it was to overcome the so-called inadequacies of the French state in overcoming the jihadist threat was started, Midi Matthieu Suc, a journalist at Mediapart who has investigated the far-right cell, told Europe 1. The group got around any legal barriers by calling itself an association, he added. However some members believed the group didn't go far enough to achieve its goals and needed to take "violent and concrete action", Suc said. Police outside the home of Guy S., the alleged leader of a group linked with the ultra right 'AFO' . Photo: AFP That's how, in autumn 2017, the AFO came into being. The group's recruits include current or former "soldiers, gendarmes, policemen" as well as people working in the medical world, said Suc. "The projects were not very clear," he said, adding that in secret meetings, members would discuss people who had been sentenced for terrorist crimes and were being released, saying that they had to be killed. The group, some of whose members belonged to shooting clubs, according to reports in the French press, has been linked to 'survivalism' -- the practising of outdoor survival skills as a sport or hobby which can sometimes be more politically motivated and linked to the survival of a social or national group. "In the universe of the ultra-right, there is a paranoid rhetoric of the apocalypse, according to which society has already been invaded," political scientist specialising in the far-right Jean-Yves Camus said. "In short, [they consider it to be] a situation that justifies -- in the eyes of its militants -- preparation for an armed struggle." The "Guerre de France" (War for France) website of the shadowy Operational Forces Action (See below) depicts an apocalyptic battle scene under the Eiffel Tower, and claims to prepare "French citizen-soldiers for combat on national territory". Photo: Screenshot from AFO's website And what threat do they pose? Suc from Mediapart believes that the threat of an imminent act would have pushed investigators to intervene. "They [investigators] sped up in recent days because the DGSI discovered that one of the men arrested had set up an explosives manufacturing laboratory," he said, adding that investigators will still have to determine the level of progress and maturity of a possible terrorist plot. The DGSI has described the awakening of the ultra-right in France with small groups "bonded" over the denunciation of the "Islamization of France" and thriving on fears related to the jihadist threat.

The way the arrests took place with the help of RAID, an elite unit of the national police, indicates that there was "an urgency to the situation," police specialist Dominique Rizet told BFM TV.

"A man was arrested while dining at a restaurant in Versailles," he added. "An arrest at the weekend in the evening is rare."

In 2016, former boss of the DGSI Patrick Calvar said: "The ultra-right is waiting for a confrontation [with radical Islamism]."

Calvar went on to say that he thought "this confrontation" would take place and that it was a question of "when" not "if".

However political scientist and far-right expert Camus, who estimates there are around a thousand militants belonging to the ultra-right in France, has been much more measured in his response. "It's the beginning of their custody, it will be necessary to wait until it ends to know more about the progress of the project. The DGSI can also be preventive: sometimes they prefer to fall on a group which isn't too advanced in its projects, rather than let it develop." The house of Guy S., the alleged leader of a group linked with the ultra right 'AFO' . Photo: AFP

Anti-Islamic violence on the rise

Unsurprisingly, the French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM) has expressed its "deep concern" over Saturday's arrests, calling on "all political leaders to denounce with the greatest firmness the violent actions directed against the Muslims of France".

"I'm not surprised by these arrests because the current climate of Islamophobia encourages this sort of passage from words to deeds," said Abdallah Zekri of the French Council of the Muslim Faith. The Council said it was particularly worried about the security of the country's roughly 2,500 mosques.</s>French counter-terrorism forces have detained a group of suspected far-right radicals who were plotting an attack on "people of Muslim faith." Firearms as well as homemade explosives were found during the raid.Ten people suspected of having links to a far-right movement have been detained in a large-scale security operation late on Sunday, June 24, the French media reported on Monday. The arrests were made by the General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI) as part of a counter-terrorism investigation into a planned attack on Muslims.The raids were conducted in the Paris region, the western regions of Haute-Vienne and Charente-Maritime as well as on the island of Corsica. The suspects, aged between 32 and 69, had an "ill-defined plan to commit a violent act targeting people of the Muslim faith," a source close to the investigation told AFP.The suspects were allegedly seeking to acquire firearms. Some were found during the raids of the suspects' property. Security forces also found grenades and homemade explosives, which were apparently produced by the suspects.A retired policeman identified only as Guy S. was among those arrested, Le Parisien reported. The man, 65, is suspected of leading the Action of the Operational Forces movement (AFO), a far-right group, which all those arrested allegedly belonged to. The clandestine organization allegedly sought to avenge the victims of Islamist attacks that have hit France in recent years.It is the second major far-right conspiracy thwarted by the French security forces in less than a year. In October 2017, counter-terrorism police arrested 10 people in the Paris and Marseille areas over a suspected plot to attack mosques, migrants, and even former presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon.</s>PARIS: French police on Tuesday (Jun 26) continued questioning 10 suspected far-right extremists over an alleged plot to attack Muslims that has fuelled safety concerns in Europe's biggest Muslim community.

Nine men and one woman aged 32 to 69 were arrested in raids across France on Saturday.

The suspects, whose detention was extended late Monday for a further 48 hours, had an "ill-defined plan to commit a violent act targeting people of the Muslim faith," a source close to the inquiry told AFP.

Police have linked the ten to a little-known group called Action des Forces Operationnelles (Operational Forces Action), which urges French people to combat Muslims, or what it calls "the enemy within".

Rifles, handguns and homemade grenades were found during searches in the Paris area, the Mediterranean island of Corsica and the western Charentes-Maritimes region.

The group's suspected leader, identified as Guy S, was a monitor for the far-right National Front during last year's presidential and legislative elections, according to the mayor of the western town of Tonnay-Charente.

But a local official for the party, since rebaptised the National Rally, said the man, a retired police officer, did not figure on party membership lists and was not among the party's known "supporters".

Party leader Marine Le Pen welcomed the arrests, saying "any terrorist attack targeting people must obviously be repelled with the utmost force."

France remains on high alert following a wave of jihadist attacks which have killed more than 240 people since 2015.

Officials have urged people not to confuse the actions of radicalised individuals with those of France's estimated six million Muslims - but anti-Islamic violence is on the rise.

The "Guerre de France" (War for France) website of the shadowy Operational Forces Action depicts an apocalyptic battle scene under the Eiffel Tower, and claims to prepare "French citizen-soldiers for combat on national territory".

France's TF1 television said the group planned to target radicalised imams and Islamist prisoners after their release from jail, as well as veiled women in the street chosen at random.

France registered 72 violent anti-Muslim acts last year, up from 67 in 2016.

"I'm not surprised by these arrests because the current climate of Islamophobia encourages this sort of passage from words to deeds," said Abdallah Zekri of the French Council of the Muslim Faith.

The Council said it was particularly worried about the security of the country's roughly 2,500 mosques.

In a statement, Interior Minister Gerard Collomb emphasised the "total mobilisation" of security services "to prevent any disturbance to public order and any threat to people and property, especially those targeting a particular religion."</s>French counter-terrorism forces have detained a group of suspected far-right radicals who were plotting an attack on “people of Muslim faith.” Firearms as well as homemade explosives were found during the raid.

Ten people suspected of having links to a far-right movement have been detained in a large-scale security operation late on Sunday, June 24, the French media reported on Monday. The arrests were made by the General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI) as part of a counter-terrorism investigation into a planned attack on Muslims.

The raids were conducted in the Paris region, the western regions of Haute-Vienne and Charente-Maritime as well as on the island of Corsica. The suspects, aged between 32 and 69, had an “ill-defined plan to commit a violent act targeting people of the Muslim faith,” a source close to the investigation told AFP.

Another source told the French media that the group planned to attack those they considered to be “targets linked to radical Islam,” including hate preachers and radical imams, Islamist prisoners once they are released, as well as veiled women chosen at random. So far it is unclear how close the group was to implementing its plot.

The suspects were allegedly seeking to acquire firearms. Some were found during the raids of the suspects’ property. Security forces also found grenades and homemade explosives, which were apparently produced by the suspects.

A retired policeman identified only as Guy S. was among those arrested, Le Parisien reported. The man, 65, is suspected of leading the Action of the Operational Forces movement (AFO), a far-right group, which all those arrested allegedly belonged to. The clandestine organization allegedly sought to avenge the victims of Islamist attacks that have hit France in recent years.

The members of the group claimed they wanted to counter “the threat of radical Islam” in France, LCI said, adding that the suspects regularly trained in shooting clubs as they apparently prepared to carry out their attacks. They also reportedly prepared caches of weapons, ammunition, and food for their families in case of a “major crisis,” the broadcaster added. None of the suspects were apparently known to police or security forces before.

It is the second major far-right conspiracy thwarted by the French security forces in less than a year. In October 2017, counter-terrorism police arrested 10 people in the Paris and Marseille areas over a suspected plot to attack mosques, migrants, and even former presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!</s>Ten people with links to the radical far-Right have been arrested by anti-terrorist police in France over an alleged plot to attack Muslims, judicial sources said Sunday.

The arrests were made on Saturday in operations across France but mainly on the Mediterranean island of Corsica, the sources told AFP.

The suspects had a "plan to commit a violent act targeting people of the Muslim faith," one source close to the probe said.

Another source said the gang was looking to hit "targets linked to radical Islam".

France has been hit by a string of jihadist attacks since early 2015, often by people who have become radicalised or claim to have acted in the name of the Islamic State group.</s>PARIS — A group of people linked to France’s extreme far-right has been arrested on suspicion of planning an attack.

France’s Interior Minister, Gerard Collomb, did not specify the target in his tweet late Sunday, but French media said the 10 people detained over the weekend are suspected of targeting Muslims. Le Parisien newspaper said potential targets included radical imams, Islamist prison inmates or veiled women chosen at random.

There was a similar wave of arrests in October 2017, in which the suspected targets were believed to be migrants and mosques.</s>[PARIS] Ten people with links to the radical far-right have been arrested by anti-terrorist police in France over an alleged plot to attack Muslims, judical sources said Sunday.

The arrests were made late Saturday in operations across France, including the Mediterranean island of Corsica, the sources told AFP.

The suspects had an "ill-defined plan to commit a violent act targeting people of the Muslim faith," one source close to the probe said.

Another source said the gang was looking to hit "targets linked to radical Islam".

France has been hit by a string of jihadist attacks since early 2015, often by people who have become radicalised or claim to have acted in the name of the Islamic State group.

More than 240 people have been killed in the attacks, including 130 who lost their lives in a wave of bombings and shootings mainly in Paris nightspots in November 2015.

The suspects were being monitored by France's DGSI intelligence agency, intercepted messages showing they were seeking to buy arms, and seaches turned up some weapons, the sources said.

France is home to an estimated 5.7 million Muslims or almost nine per cent of the population, according to a report by US-based think-tank the Pew Research Centre at the end of last year.</s>Ten alleged extreme-right militants suspected of a terrorist plot to attack Muslims in France are to appear before a judge and face preliminary charges.

Nine men and one woman aged 32 to 69 – including one retired police officer – were arrested in raids across France on Saturday, in the Paris area, the Mediterranean island of Corsica and the western Charentes-Maritimes region.

Police had linked the ten to a little-known group called Action des Forces Operationnelles (Operational Forces Action), which urges French people to combat Muslims, or what it calls “the enemy within”. Rifles, handguns and homemade grenades were found during searches.

The Paris prosecutor’s office said on Wednesday that it had asked an investigating judge to file preliminary charges.

In a statement, the prosecutor said an array of weapons and potential bomb-making equipment were found and authorities feared a violent act but “at this stage” couldn’t determine the exact targets. The group, which was seeking to expand, offered combat and survivalist training and held meetings to define its objectives and how to attain them, the prosecutor said. Some had tested homemade grenades and explosives.

The “Guerre de France” (War for France) website of the shadowy Operational Forces Action group depicts an apocalyptic battle scene under the Eiffel Tower, and claims to prepare “French citizen-soldiers for combat on national territory”.

France’s TF1 television reported earlier this week that the group had allegedly planned to randomly target women wearing headscarves in the street and had also allegedly planned to hit targets linked to radical Islam.

“I’m not surprised by these arrests because the current climate of Islamophobia encourages this sort of passage from words to deeds,” said Abdallah Zekri of the French Council of the Muslim Faith after the arrests.

The Council said it was particularly worried about the security of the country’s roughly 2,500 mosques.

France registered 72 violent anti-Muslim acts last year, up from 67 in 2016.

In a statement at the time of the weekend arrests, the interior minister, Gérard Collomb, emphasised the “total mobilisation” of security services “to prevent any disturbance to public order and any threat to people and property, especially those targeting a particular religion.”
French police continue questioning ten suspected far-right terrorists arrested on Saturday over an alleged plot to attack Muslims. An extension to their detention was authorised late last night.