Keyword: Bernard Cazeneuve

Evidence sought by Paris-based judges leading a highly sensitive judicial investigation into the murders of 11 French naval engineers in Pakistan in 2002, which has exposed a major political corruption scandal in France, has for years been held back by France’s laws protecting defence and security secrecy. The persistent refusal to hand over intelligence documents and the silence of several key witnesses has heightened speculation of an orchestrated cover up to protect political and diplomatic interests. But, Mediapart has learnt, judges Marc Trévedic and Laurence Le Vert have now found a legal loophole with which to overcome the blanket protection of a law too often used to blunt investigations. The breakthrough may at last reveal the truth hidden behind 'The Karachi Affair', a dark and complex case that has rocked France’s political establishment. Fabrice Arfi reports.

Officials say there is 'no doubt' that suspect - named as Sid Ahmed Ghlam, a 24-year-old Algerian national - had been planning church attack.

After local councillors voted to reduce scale of controversial Sivens dam, interior minister ordered police to remove remaining protestors.

Government says it will consult twice a year with a wide range of Muslim leaders and promote university-level civics courses for imams.

Officials say the move, carried out under new counter-terrorism laws, came amid fears the men wanted to join Islamic State.

Bernard Cazeneuve met the US tech giants in California, asking them to work directly with French authorities to erase online terror propaganda.

Bernard Cazeneuve travelled to Copenhagen on Sunday where he visited the scenes of terrorist shootings that left two dead and five wounded.

The suspects from Toulouse and Albi are believed to have handled questionable money transfers and recruited candidates to wage jihad.

President Hollande says new law will make internet operators 'accomplices' of hate-speech offences if they host extremist messages.

Interior minister told rally held to protest against attack on Jewish couple that combating anti-Semetic acts would be a 'national cause'.

Interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve said young couple assaulted in middle of day at their home near Paris were clearly victims of anti-Semitism.

The French Parliament this week formally adopted a new anti-terrorism law, part of which aims to stop terrorists using the internet to attract recruits and plot attacks. It will allow the authorities to block websites that “condone terrorism” and will create a new offence of “individual terrorist enterprise”. One key objective is to stop the “preparation” of attacks via the web. The government, which has rushed these measures through, says they are needed to combat the growing use of the internet and social media by terror groups and in particular to tackle the threat of so-called “lone wolf” terrorists operating in France and elsewhere. But civil liberties groups, judges and the state body that oversees the impact of digital technology have condemned the law as an attack on freedom, ineffective and unworkable. Jérôme Hourdeaux details the new measures.

Rémi Fraisse © DR

The French state knew almost immediately what caused the death of 21-year-old student Rémi Fraisse at an eco-protest on October 26th, but sought to hide the facts for 48 hours. That is the clear implication of the initial findings of the independent judicial investigation into Fraisse's death at the Sivens dam protest in south-west France, details of which have been seen by Mediapart. These preliminary findings, backed by witness statements from gendarmes at the site, show that the forces of law and order were aware straight away that the botany student had died directly as a result of an 'offensive' grenade thrown by one of them. In an emotional statement the student's family has formally asked President François Hollande to explain why the government took two days to recognise what happened, and why a grenade packed with explosives was thrown at Rémi in the first place.

Interior minister says he would welcome help from across English Channel as France struggles to cope with number of migrants in town.

But plan by interior minister attacked by charities who say it will resemble the notorious Sangatte Red Cross welcome centre closed in 2002.