France arrests far-right policeman suspected of terrorist plot

PARIS: A policeman who follows "a violent radical far-right ideology" has been arrested in France on suspicion of plotting a terrorist attack, sources told AFP late on Thursday.

Confirming a report by the TF1/LCI broadcaster, a judicial source said that the man was also suspected of having manufactured weapons, among other crimes.

A separate source close to the case told AFP that the police officer, aged 35, was "apprehended on the street" on August 23.

He has since been placed in detention while awaiting trial.

According to TF1/LCI, the officer "is suspected of having planned to carry out violent attacks against the interests of the state" and of having "manufactured 3D-printed weapons", among other things.

The policeman faces charges including preparing a terrorist act, the unauthorised manufacture or trade in weapons in connection with a terrorist organisation and unauthorised weapon possession.

He is also charged with incitement to terrorism through social media.

The police officer's lawyers had not responded to AFP as of Thursday evening.

The news comes in the wake of revelations that France's far-right National Rally (RN) party expelled another policeman after body cam footage of him making racist comments sparked outrage.

The RN's Marine Le Pen hopes to become France's president in next year's elections after years of seeking to make the anti-immigration party she inherited from her father more palatable to the wider public.--AFP