Adlene Hicheur, the French physicist of Algerian origin who was arrested near Geneva last week for his contacts an Algerian branch of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network, was charged with terrorism offences by a Paris judge and ordered to remain in custody Monday evening.

According to internet contacts between Hicheur and Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) that were intercepted during a year-and-a-half long investigation, the physicist told the Islamist group that he was interested in committing an attack but he had not begun any material preparation, according to police sources.