PARIS - France is strengthening the security plan known as Vigipirate in the run up to Algeria's parliamentary elections on June 5th, the French Interior Minister, Mr Jean Louis Debre, said in an interview with the Lyons newspaper, Le Prngres, reports Lara Marlowe. Algerian fundamentalist rebels blame the French government for providing financial support to President Liamine Zeroual's regime.
The most visible signs of Vigipirate are military foot patrols in French cities and sealed up rubbish bins in public places. The security plan was created in 1995, when bombings by Algerian extremists killed eight French people. It was eased substantially until December 3rd last, when a bomb in the Paris Metro killed four more people.
