Hawzah News Agency (Paris, France) - The suspects had a "plan to commit a violent act targeting people of the Muslim faith," one source close to the probe said.

Another source said the gang was looking to hit "targets linked to radical Islam". 

France has been hit by a string of terror attacks since early 2015, often by people who have become radicalized or claim to be affiliated to Daesh (ISIL or ISIS).   

More than 240 people have been killed in the attacks, including 130 who lost their lives in a wave of bombings and shootings in November 2015. 

The suspects were being monitored by France's DGSI intelligence agency, which intercepted messages showing they were seeking to buy arms, and searches turned up some weapons, the sources said. 

France is home to an estimated 5.7 million Muslims - or almost nine percent of the population - according to a report by US-based think-tank the Pew Research Centre at the end of last year.