25 jailed in alleged Islamist plot

PARIS, June 14 (UPI) -- A French court has sentenced 25 people to prison terms of up to 10 years for planning attacks in France in support of Chechen rebels, reports the BBC.

Prosecutors said the Islamist militant group's attack targets may have included the Eiffel Tower, the Halles shopping center, police stations and Israeli interests. The accused were alleged to have "jihad" links with militants fighting Russia in its republic of Chechnya.

The court was told the leaders of the group, many of whom came from Algeria, received training in Afghanistan or in Chechnya, the BBC said.