French parliament backs video surveillance to fight terror

PARIS Friday (AFP) - French lawmakers on Thursday backed government plans to allow greatly increased video surveillance of public places, a key provision of a new anti-terrorism bill drawn up following the London transport bombings.

After a first reading of the bill, the lower house national assembly approved several articles making it possible to install video cameras on the public transport system, in places of worship and in shops.

One of the other approved provisions obliges Internet providers and cafes to store and make available to police their customers' connection records.

Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, who drew up the legislation following the attacks on London's transport network in July, in which 56 people died, was reportedly impressed by British investigators' use of video footage to identify the perpetrators.

Deputies are to vote on Tuesday on the full text of the anti-terrorism law, which must also be approved by the upper house senate before coming into force.

Under the provisions approved companies would be allowed to film the areas surrounding their premises and police would be able to access the footage.

State-appointed regional governors, or prefects, would also have the right to demand that surveillance cameras be installed on sites considered at risk of an attack, such as transport hubs and industrial or nuclear plants.