France expels 'dangerous imam' for inciting violence

France has deported a Muslim preacher to Egypt for making public speeches inciting violence against the West.

Announcing the move, Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux described Ali Ibrahim el-Soudany as a "dangerous individual".

Mr Soudany, who had for months been preaching at a mosque near Paris, was expelled on Thursday, officials said.

Mr Hortefeux said the Egyptian citizen had been "calling for a fight against the West, spurning the values of our society and inciting violence".

Since 2001, 129 radical Muslims - including 29 imams - had been expelled from France, said an interior ministry statement.

There are an estimated five million Muslims living in France - western Europe's largest Muslim population.