France Shuts Mosque, Arrests Man in Terror Crackdown

Police shut a mosque east of Paris and arrested the owner of a revolver found in related raids on Wednesday, as part of a crackdown after the Nov. 13 attacks on the capital, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said.

He told journalists that authorities had already closed two mosques last week – the first time France has taken such action against places of worship suspected of nurturing what he called “Islamist radicalization.” He later revealed to lawmakers in Parliament about the closure of a fourth mosque in the city of Nice.

Security officers found jihadist documents at the mosque where Wednesday’s raids took place and at related premises in Lagny-sur-Marne. They placed a total of nine people under house arrest and banned another 22 from leaving the country, Cazeneuve said.