Mon, December 5, 2005 By AP

"PARIS -- Seven foreigners will likely be deported from France soon for their roles in recent unrest that hit poor French suburbs, Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy said yesterday.

Other foreigners risk expulsion, the minister said in an interview on French television in which he came down in favour of punishment for rappers whose songs incite hate among youths living on the margins of society.

Sarkozy, known for his tough law and order approach, has been criticized by human rights groups and the opposition left for wanting to deport foreigners -- legal or not -- who took part in the three weeks of unrest in late October and early November marked by thousands of arson attacks.

Sarkozy said on television 83 foreigners had been arrested but 40 of them can't be deported because of their age, their status as political refugees or the lengthy time they had spent in France.

"Seven proceedings are finishing up," he said, and the seven will "likely" be expelled.

Sarkozy voiced support for legislators who want rap singers sanctioned for allegedly inciting hate and violence among youths living in suburban housing projects.

"There are inadmissible phrases and we don't have to accept them," Sarkozy said. "It's not because you're young, you do rap, that you should be exonerated from the risk of sanctions."

Source. London Free Press