Police conducting an investigation into the funding of Islamic extremists uncovered a major arms haul overnight in a northern Paris suburb, officials said Thursday. The cache — which included a kilogram of TNT explosive, 19 sticks of dynamite, detonators, assault rifles, hand-guns and ammunition — was hidden in a garage in Clichy-sous-Bois.
The discovery followed the detention this week of 27 individuals suspected of taking part in armed robberies and money laundering in support of Islamic extremist groups.
Investigators from the domestic intelligence service DST also found paramilitary style black overalls, ski-masks, bullet-proof vests and a gendarme’s uniform at the scene.
On Wednesday Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy said that some of those arrested had “indirect links” with al-Qaeda’s leader in Iraq Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.