French police have arrested nine alleged Islamic terrorists, who, according to authorities, were planning to bomb the Paris Metro as well as other targets:

Terror suspects detained in France had been eyeing up the Parisian metro network, an airport and the headquarters of the domestic intelligence service as possible targets, sources close to the investigation said.

Among those being held is Safe Bourada, 35, who was released from prison in 2003 after five years for helping organise a series of bomb attacks in France in 1995 for the Algerian Armed Islamic Group (GIA).

Officials said the men were members of the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), an armed Algerian group that grew out of the GIA and has links to the Al-Qaeda network. Bourada was described as their ringleader.

Early reports indicate that the bombers were motivated by France's support for the U.S. war effort in Iraq.

UPDATE: Sadly, I'm afraid it's necessary to add the last sentence IS A JOKE!!!! Remember how, when the London bombers struck, media outlets and politicians were quick to conclude that the attack resulted from England's support of the Iraq war? Unfortunately, quite a few of our readers didn't get what I thought was a pretty clear parody.

Posted by John at 10:01 AM  |    |