French gunman says al-Qaida offered him chance to attack Canada: Recordings

PARIS - Leaked recordings of a conversation between a French terrorism suspect and authorities indicate the suspect claimed jihadists at a terrorist training camp encouraged him to attack Canada.

French authorities are investigating how the recordings between Mohamed Merah and police were obtained by French television station TF1, which aired what it said were tapes of the man talking to officials during a standoff in southern France.

The 23-year-old is accused of going on a shooting spree in Toulouse in March, killing three Jewish schoolchildren, a rabbi and three paratroopers.

In an excerpt of the recording posted on the Internet, Merah — who died in a shootout — describes travelling to Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Speaking in French, he says al-Qaida operatives offered to let him carry out attacks in Canada and America.

But — according to the tapes — Merah says as he was a French citizen, it would be easier for him to launch an attack in France. (...)