In France, 'a Bomb Waiting for the Match'

The town of 27,000 residents has 50 ethnic and religious groups and an unemployment rate of about 40 percent, he said. "Everyone says everything is possible, but not for these guys."

Many of the apartment houses have absentee owners who are renting each unit to as many as four families, Lotterie said. "Some rent out their kitchens, so you can imagine how people live there."

"I was sad" about the violence, said a local 12-year-old, Mathew, who recounted hearing explosions and going to the library, where he sometimes did homework, while it was still ablaze. "My parents weren't sad -- they were a little shocked," he added, saying there was nothing for him to do at home. "Now they won't know what to do with me."

In the area around the library, the streets were littered Tuesday with shattered glass, crumbled rock and other debris left from Monday's clashes between police and youths. A few youths walked around the library Tuesday, occasionally throwing rocks at outsiders.

Shop windows in some parts of town were smashed; burned-out vehicles were scattered along roadsides.

Many white residents of the town appeared to be taking the violence with a sense of resignation. G¿rard Jean, a town firefighter who was comforting a friend inside her ransacked beauty salon, said getting angry wouldn't help. "I feel sorry. If we get angry, we'll be like the kids in the street."

Photocopied pictures of the two dead youths were taped on many shop windows, street signs and doorways. "We love you," said a note under the picture of Larami Samoura, 16. On the picture of Moushin Souhelli, 15, was written: "Deceased 25/11/07. Died for nothing."

The deaths are under investigation. Police said the youths were riding an unregistered motorbike, without helmets, and crashed into the police car at high speed. Some residents and relatives of the youths said police left the scene too quickly and failed to help the injured teenagers.

Patrice Ribeiro, deputy general secretary of Synergie, the police union, said in a telephone interview that the two officers in the car had to leave the scene "as soon as possible" because "groups of guys ran towards the police car and wanted to lynch" them.

More than 100 police officers were injured -- five seriously -- in pitched street fights here and in five other communities north of Paris on Sunday and Monday nights, Ribeiro said.

About 80 cars were set afire Monday night, he said.

"There were rifle shots the first evening of violence," and Monday night "was worse," he said. "We're witnessing a climate of insurrection. We're now dealing with urban guerrillas, with people hiding in groups, throwing projectiles when night falls."

Prime Minister Fran¿ois Fillon and Interior Minister Mich¿le Alliot-Marie toured the town Tuesday. "Those who shoot at police are criminals, and they will be pursued as such," Fillon told reporters.

Sarkozy, who is in China, was to return to France on Wednesday and hold security meetings in the morning, his office said.

"The kids have one frozen idea about the police. The police are just the devil, and there's no solution," said Pierre Tap¿, pastor at a local Baptist church who moved to the town from Ivory Coast six years ago. On the other hand, when police see the young people, they see only black and immigrant youths, even though many are French, he said. "The responsibility for the situation has to be shared. The kids are at fault, and so are the police."

Correspondent Molly Moore and researcher Corinne Gavard in Paris contributed to this report.