FRANCE BEGINS EXPELLING ISLAMISTS

French officials say two radical Islamists have been deported and three more are to be expelled. The move appears be a response to last month's attacks by Mohamed Merah, an Islamist gunman who killed seven people around the city of Toulouse. 

The interior ministry said two men had been sent back to their home countries of Algeria and Mali, while another three face expulsion orders. 

... French Interior Minister Claude Geant said the two deported on Monday were a Malian imam who had preached anti-Semitism and advocated wearing the full face veil - which is illegal in France - and Ali Belhadad, an Algerian who has already served a prison sentence for his role in a 1994 Marrakech attack. 

Two imams from Saudi Arabia and Turkey and a suspected Tunisian militant are also due to be expelled, with more deportations to follow, officials said. 

... President Nicolas Sarkozy, speaking at an election rally in the eastern city of Nancy, said he was sending a very clear message. "All those who make remarks contrary to the values of the Republic will be instantly put outside the territory of the French Republic, there will no exception, there will be no leniency," he said.

IT'S LONG OVERDUE.

THE ENTIRE FREE WORLD OUGHT TO BE DOING THE SAME THING.