PARIS, May 17 (Xinhua) -- France's Directorate of Territorial Security (DST) has arrested eight people in two suburbs across the capital, as part of an investigation into a syndicate that is suspected of financing terrorism activities in the country, French security sources have said.

    The operation, conducted Friday on the basis of international letters issued by Thierry Fragnoli, a French anti-terrorist judge ,was conducted in collaboration with other foreign security services, notably Germany and the Netherlands, where further arrests had also been made.

    "Two more people had been arrested earlier Friday morning, one in each of these two countries," said the sources, adding that the move marked an intensification of anti-terrorism operations in Europe.

    The eight people arrested in France, all of Turkish origin, are suspected to be linked to a network that is involved in raising funds to finance an Uzbekistan-based radical Islamic movement that recently proclaimed ties with the infamous al Qaida terror network, French investigators said.

    The DST, which was backed by RAID (Research, Assistance, Intervention, Deterrence), a elite unit of the National Police, during the operation, has been investigating the network for nearly a year, said one source close to the case. The French investigators acted "as a precautionary measure" by arresting the eight people "who have not been directly involved in any terrorist attacks so far," according to security sources. This case "is linked to Pakistan and Afghanistan," said the same sources, adding that the Friday morning arrests should make it possible "at the least, to clarify the likely roles that have been played by each of the eight persons."

    "House searches were continuing Friday morning in the presence of the arrested people who have been remanded in custody," said a police officer under the cover of anonymity as he was not authorized to comment on the matter.

    The operation took place Friday morning after an informal diner meeting bringing together senior European intelligence officers in Paris, said one source, nevertheless adding that this was "a simple coincidence of timing."