France arrests 8 over mosque attack

French police have arrested eight people, including several soldiers, over an arson attack on a mosque in southwestern France.

The suspects, aged 18 to 30, were taken into custody Wednesday for questioning over the April 20 attack in Colomier near the city of Toulouse, in which arsonists started a fire in the mosque entrance and trashed a next-door prayer room.

The arrests took place near the cities of Toulouse, Castres and Carcassonne, where two soldiers were reportedly detained at their barracks, AFP quoted local newspaper La Depeche du Midi as saying. State prosecutor Michel Valet said it was "too soon to say" if the suspects had links to extreme-right groups.

Press TV, 28 May 2008