Pascal Guyot, AFP | A police car drives past the logo of the Vigipirate plan, France's national security alert system, at the Montpellier police station, southern France.

A French convert to Islam and her husband were charged Thursday with terrorist conspiracy after police discovered a fake stomach used to make a woman appear pregnant, judicial sources said.

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The couple from the southern city of Montpellier, aged 23 and 35 respectively, were placed in pre-trial custody as requested by prosecutors.

Both were handed preliminary charges of criminal conspiracy in connection with a terrorist undertaking and financing a terrorist enterprise, while the woman was also charged with plotting an individual terror attack on people.

They were arrested Wednesday following the discovery of the homemade fake stomach, which could have been used to hide objects.

No explosives were found but an analysis of their computer discovered they had consulted bomb-making information and photos of jihadists, a source close to the investigation has said.

Their arrest comes with France on high alert following the November 13 attacks in Paris that left 130 dead.

Police say they foiled a jihadist plot last week near Orleans southwest of Paris by two men who were planning to attack "soldiers, police and representatives of the state".

(AFP)

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