PARIS. Nov 10: French police detained 88 suspected Algerian fundamentalists Tuesday tn a nationwide sweep ordered after a scries of kidnappings, mur decs and death threats against French nationals by Islamic militants Inside Algeria reports AFP

Prime Minister Edouard Balladur said the operation, led by counter espionage and Intel ligence police, was "to verify that each person on our na ttonal territory respects the law of the republic '

Those detained Included Moussa Kraouche. president of the Algerian Brotherhood, which is believed to be the front in France for Algeria's outlawed Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) A second brotherhood official. Djaffar El Houarl. was also de talned. police said

The Interior Ministry said 88 persons had been detained tn the operation and six others put under house arrest Some 65 homes and 1 1 officers were searched, it said

The operation touched nu-

merous cities and towns, including Paris. Lille, and Nancy In the northern half of the country plus Lyon Marseille, Nice. Bordeaux and Toulouse tn the south.

French police said they believed there were between 50 and 100 "hard core militants linked to the FIS In France, with the vast majority of the Algerian community opposed to the movement's extremist beliefs.

Police involved Tuesday in eluded the Directorate for Surveillance of the Territory (DST), which handles counter, espionage operations, the agents from Renselgnements Generaux. the political police.

The sweep came two weeks after three French consulate officials were kidnapped tn Algiers and four days after French interior Minister Charles Pas qua warned that Algerian militants would not be permitted to turn France Into a rear base for violent activities In Alergia.