Britain and France announce joint anti-terror measures

LONDON, Tuesday (AFP) Britain and France are to cooperate more closely on anti-terrorism following the London bombings, exchanging names of suspected Islamic extremists and other information, the countries' prime ministers said.

"I think there was a great deal of common ground both in how we analyse and perceive this problem and also how we can best deal with it," British Prime Minister Tony Blair said following talks with French counterpart Dominique de Villepin. The world was facing "difficult times", the French prime minister told a joint press conference at Blair's office.

France stood together with Britain following the July 7 London bombings in which 56 people died, and a botched follow up attack last Thursday, he added.

"I want to express to you, Tony, and to all the British people, the solidarity and the friendship of the French people," Villepin told reporters.

One part of the cooperation would be to "exchange the names of people we believe, in either of our countries, have been trying to incite or foment this type of extremism," Blair said.

Additionally, telecommunications records would be kept for longer and the countries would swap data on protecting vulnerable targets such as public transport and on fighting radicalisation among young Muslims.

Later in Paris, Villepin held a 45-minute meeting with Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie, Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy and senior police, intelligence and defence officials to discuss counter-terrorism measures.

These are understood to include increased videosurveillance, monitoring of mobile phone activity and greater identity card security.

After the July 7 attacks in London France raised its terrorism alert to red, third level on a scale of four, the highest being scarlet.

Frontier controls were strengthened on July 9.