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FRANCE - UKRAINE

French suspected terrorist held in Ukraine

A Frenchman is being held in Ukraine after being caught transporting a large quantity of explosives and weapons across the Polish border. He admitted plans to launch terror attacks in France, sources told a French TV channel that cited evidence that he had far-right sympathies.

Ukrainian and EU flags fly in front of the Presidential Administration in Kiev
Ukrainian and EU flags fly in front of the Presidential Administration in Kiev Reuters/Valentyn Ogirenko
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The 25-year-old Frenchman is currently held by Ukrainian police after being arrested at the Polish frontier on 21 May and could be extradited to France.

At least three rocket-launchers, about 100 detonators, more than 100 kilos of TNT, half a dozen Kalashnikov assault rifles and a number of balaclava helmets were found in his car, according to the M6 TV channel which broke the story on Friday.

Ukrainian security services had spotted him several days earlier and suspected he was trying to buy weapons.

M6's sources said he admitted planning attacks on French territory.

A search of his home in eastern France found material for making explosives and a T-shirt with the logo of a far-right organisation, the channel reports.

He has no criminal record and was not on the security services' radar.

A source told the Reuters news agency on Saturday that it was not "totally established" that a terror attack was being planned.

To read our coverage of the November Paris attacks and their aftermath click here

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