Chirac's horror as woman burnt in riot

By Peter Allen in Paris
Last Updated: 10:09am GMT 30/10/2006

Riot police reinforcements were deployed in Marseille last night after the latest outbreak of urban violence in France left a young woman in a critical condition with life-threatening burns.

A French policeman stands beside a burnt bus in the suburbs of Marseille
President Jacques Chirac expressed his horror at the attack hours after the 26-year-old woman and three others were ambushed by rioting teenagers while travelling on a bus in the southern port city.

The assailants – said by some witnesses to be as young as 15 – forced the vehicle's doors open, spilled flammable liquid inside, and set it alight.

There were similar attacks in major cities across the country at the weekend, just hours after the passing of the anniversary of the rioting and car-burning that brought terror to urban areas last year.

In a statement referring to the Marseilles attack, Mr Chirac's office said: "The president told the victim's family about his horror concerning this shameful act and assured them everything would be done to find the criminals and punish them with the utmost severity." >>>cont

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