Youths go on rampage in central France

SAINT-ETIENNE, France — Dozens of youths went on a rampage in a town in central France, apparently after hearing that a local man had tried to commit suicide in jail. The man later died.

About 60 youths burned dozens of cars and damaged several shops in suburban neighborhoods outside the city of Saint-Etienne early Wednesday morning, police said.

No injuries were reported. Police detained nine people but later released seven of them.

Late Wednesday afternoon, prosecutor Jacques Pin said the inmate, 21-year-old Mohamed Benmouna, had died at the hospital where he had been taken after being found hanging in his cell Monday.

Pin said a medical expert would examine the body of Benmouna, who had been jailed for attempted extortion, for any sign that he had been subjected to violence.

The inmate’s father — Abdelkader Benmouna — called for calm, telling reporters on Wednesday afternoon that violence “isn’t a solution.”

The area was calm Wednesday night.

Officials are particularly alert to violence in suburbs surrounding large French cities since unrest in 2005 spread across France, triggered by the deaths of two youths trying to escape from police in Clichy-Sous-Bois, a suburb of Paris.