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POLICE

French officers cleared over black man’s death in custody

French investigating magistrates have dropped their case against three gendarmes over the 2016 death of a young black man in custody that sparked violent protests, lawyers said Friday.

Adama's sister, Assa (2nd R) looks on next to a man holding a placard with a portrait of Adama Traore during a march to protest the death of Adama Traore, in Paris
Adama's sister, Assa (2nd R) looks on next to a portrait of Adama Traore during a march to protest his death, in 2016. The magistrates in charge of the investigation into Traore's death have dismissed the case against the French gendarmes who arrested him. Photo:  DOMINIQUE FAGET / AFP

Adama Traore, 24, died shortly after being arrested in the town of Beaumont-sur-Oise, with his death triggering accusations of police brutality and racism, and several nights of protests.

Gendarmes are police-style units often used for law enforcement in rural areas.

Authorities said at the time that an autopsy revealed he had been suffering from a serious infection and that his body showed few signs of violence.

READ ALSO: French police violence: notorious cases

Investigating magistrates were tasked with probing whether the three arresting officers used disproportionate force against Traore whom they apprehended after a chase in July 2016 during a heatwave with temperatures of 37 Celsius (99 Fahrenheit) during a police operation targeting his brother, Bagui.

The officers were never charged.

READ ALSO: Three French police charged over man’s death during riots

The Traore family’s lawyer, Yassine Bouzrou, said Friday he would appeal the magistrates’ decision, which he said was based on “contradictions, inconsistencies and serious violations of the law”.

The object of the appeal was to get the Paris appeals court to order the three officers to stand trial, he told AFP.

Traore’s older sister, Assa, has been leading protests since his death, including an annual commemorative march.

But a court banned the march this year, fearful of reigniting unrest sparked by the police killing of 17-year-old Nahel M. at a traffic stop near Paris in June.

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CRIME

Teens charged in France over plot to attack Jewish targets: judicial source

French prosecutors have charged a 19-year-old man and a youth in the Paris region with planning a "terrorist" attack on Jewish targets, a judicial source told AFP on Friday.

Teens charged in France over plot to attack Jewish targets: judicial source

While no details on the pair have been released, French anti-terrorist investigators have expressed increased concern over the young age of some suspects detained in recent months for planning militant attacks.

The 19-year-old has been charged with “terrorist conspiracy” to commit attacks and the “acquisition and possession of arms for a terrorist enterprise,” said the judicial source, speaking on condition of anonymity.

READ ALSO: Anti-Semitism fears stalk Jewish voters’ choice in France

The youth aged under 18 was detained on June 13, the source said.

The pair made contact on social media and were planning a “a violent action notably aiming at Jewish targets,” said the source without giving details on the plot.

Anti-terrorism investigators say a growing number of youths have been held in recent months for preparing attacks.

READ ALSO: French election breakdown: TV debates, polling latest and anti-Semitism

“This is a necessarily worrying phenomenon,” senior anti-terrorist prosecutor Olivier Christen said at an evidentiary hearing on Wednesday.

French politicians have also condemned a growing number of attacks on the country’s Jewish community, the biggest outside Israel and the United States.

Outrage has been expressed over the rape of a 12-year-old Jewish girl in a park in the Paris suburbs last Saturday. Two 13-year-old boys have been charged with rape and making anti-Semitic insults.

Several protest rallies have been held in Paris and other French cities over the case which comes as France prepares for a national election in which the far-right National Rally party is tipped to make major gains. 

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