French police hold man in terror finance probe

on 03/07/2012 12:32:46

Authorities in France have arrested the administrator of an extremist French website who is suspected of playing a key role in financing and recruiting for al-Qaida and other terrorist groups, the Paris prosecutor's office said.

The man is being questioned by prosecutors and faces preliminary charges of planning terrorist acts and financing a terrorist enterprise.

The prosecutor's office said in a statement the man is a Tunisian born in 1977 based in the southern French city of Toulon. It did not identify him.

The prosecutor cited "serious and concordant evidence" that he sent material from his computer to terrorist groups.

It says he played a "centralising role" in collecting funds for terrorist groups to buy weapons.