HASKOVO, Bulgaria (AFP) - A Bulgarian court ruled on Tuesday that a Frenchman who admits knowing the Charlie Hebdo attackers but denies being an extremist should be extradited to France following an arrest warrant issued by Paris.

Muslim convert Fritz-Joly Joachin, 29, arrested on Jan 1 as he tried to cross from Bulgaria into Turkey, told the court in Haskovo in southern Bulgaria: "I am innocent. I want to return to France."