French officials said police have arrested a man suspected of mailing death threats to President Nicolas Sarkozy and other politicians.
The officials said authorities detained the former French serviceman Wednesday at his home near the southern French city of Montpellier. They said police were acting on a tip off from an acquaintance of the suspect, who is in his 40s.
French authorities said identical letters containing 9 millimeter bullets recently arrived at the offices of Mr. Sarkozy and his ministers for justice, the interior and culture. Former Prime Minister Alain Juppe and other conservative politicians also received similar threats.
The two-page typed letters contain incoherent and threatening messages directed at the politicians.
French Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said the perpetrator, in her view, is clearly unstable.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.