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Four men are to appear before a judge in Paris on suspicion of supporting one of the gunmen behind the Islamist attacks in France that killed 17, the BBC reported.

The men, aged 22 to 28, are expected to be placed under formal investigation.

They are suspected of having links to Amedy Coulibaly, who murdered four people at a Jewish supermarket and is believed to have shot a policewoman.

Meanwhile, a Malian employee who helped shoppers during the supermarket siege is to receive French nationality.

Lassana Bathily, a 24-year-old Muslim, hid customers inside a basement cold store when Coulibaly stormed the store and took people hostage.

He will receive a French passport at a ceremony in his honour on Tuesday after his application was fast-tracked.

Coulibaly killed four Jewish hostages on 9 January before being shot dead by police.

He claimed to have acted in cooperation with Cherif and Said Kouachi, brothers who began the three days of attacks in Paris on 7 January when they burst into the offices of the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine, killing 12 people.

Twelve people were arrested in police raids on Friday and questioned about "possible logistical support" - such as weapons or vehicles - they could have given the three gunmen, police said.

Three of the women detained were freed on Saturday and five people were released overnight on Tuesday.

Four remaining suspects were due to appear before an anti-terror magistrate on Tuesday who would decide whether to place them under formal investigation, the Paris prosecutors' office said.