French parliament extends state of emergency

France's parliament on Tuesday extended the country's state of emergency, implemented after the 13 November attacks.

Deputies of the National Assembly approved the three-month extension by 212 votes to 31 with three abstentions, as the government warned the threat of attacks remained high.

Parliament's upper house, the Senate, had already approved the extension by an overwhelming majority last Tuesday.

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said the terror threat "has never been higher", stressing that "an imminent danger has not gone away".

The emergency law allows the interior minister to place any person whose behaviour is considered "a threat to security and public order" under house arrest and to order searches of homes at any hour - without involving a court.

Since November, around 3,340 searches have been conducted and 578 weapons seized.

More than 340 people have been taken into custody and 285 house arrests are currently being enforced.

Since the beginning of the year, 40 people have been arrested on suspicion of being involved in networks making threats or praising terrorism, Cazeneuve said.

Facing criticism about the modest number of arrests, Cazeneuve pointed to the advantages given the interior ministry under a state of emergency.

The searches "have been able to disrupt the organisation of the networks which arm and finance terrorism, in particular with regards to the trafficking of arms and drugs", he told lawmakers.

The Council of Europe, however, has expressed concerns about "some abuses" committed by "police officers" during some reportedly violent searches.

It also said that the state of emergency had reinforced "the stigmatisation" of Muslims in the country.

Last week, French lawmakers voted through a proposal to amend the constitution to strip people convicted of terrorist offences of their French nationality.

Christiane Taubira resigned as justice minister late last month over her opposition to the highly controversial measure that has divided President Francois Hollande's Socialist Party.

Agencies contributed to this report