France firm on burqa ban despite bin Laden threat
France stands by its law banning burqa-like Muslim veils despite a threatening new message from al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, President Nicolas Sarkozy said Friday. In a recently released audio tape, bin Laden threatens to kill French citizens in revenge for France's law to ban Muslim veils that cover the face, and because France has troops in Afghanistan.
Sarkozy confirmed that France believes the tape is authentic and said the country would not back down from the new rule. "Obviously, France doesn't let anyone dictate its policies, and certainly not terrorists," Sarkozy said at a European Union summit in Brussels. Sarkozy said his country has made its choice. (AP)
