Paris
A little-known group has been threatening since December to blow up train tracks across France unless the government pays it $5 million. The group calls itself AZF, after a chemical factory that exploded in 2001, and describes itself as a “secular brotherhood with ethical and political connotations.” As a sign of good faith, the French government complied with an AZF demand last month to place an ad in the paper Libération. “My big wolf, don’t take useless risks,” the ad read. “The earlier the better. Give me instructions. Suzy.” AZF then revealed the location of a sophisticated bomb, as a sign that the group was serious. The government asked the media not to report on the threats, but one paper broke the embargo this week.
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