FOUR men were charged yesterday with supporting Amedy Coulibaly, who shot dead a police officer in Paris and a day later killed four hostages at a kosher supermarket.

Three are suspected of buying weapons for Mr Coulibaly.

One suspect’s lawyer claimed that his client was unaware of any terrorist plot and said that in his neighbourhood “people were afraid” of Mr Coulibaly.

The preliminary charges were handed out as French Prime Minister Manuel Valls announced sweeping new anti-terrorist measures.

Mr Valls said that the government would buy police better guns, hire many more spies and build a giant database of anyone suspected of links to extremists.

Despite committing to a savage austerity budget, the French government is planning to splurge €425 million (£325m) on the measures.

Civil liberties group La Quadrature du Net accused the government of “using the attacks to put in place some of the most repressive legislation.”