'Deport non-French rioters'

Sacre Bleu! A Frenchie actually displaying some stones.

Paris - Interior minister Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday issued orders for non-French rioters convicted in the wave of urban violence to be deported - a measure directed at youths of Arab and African background living in the high-immigrant neighbourhoods involved in the unrest.

Sarkozy told prefects, or regional governors, to apply the order to foreigners including those who have valid French residency visas.

He told parliament that "120 foreigners, not all of whom are here illegally, have been convicted" of taking part in the nightly rampages that have occurred since October 27.

"I have asked the prefects to deport them from our national territory without delay, including those who have a residency visa," he said.