Police seek ‘dangerous’ Salah Abdeslam

From BBC

Police have issued a photograph of a French national wanted in connection with Friday’s deadly attacks in Paris that left 129 people dead.

The man, named as Salah Abdeslam, 26, is described as dangerous.

Reports say he had already been identified as the renter of a car used in the attack when he and two others were stopped by police near the Belgian border.

The officers apparently let him go after checking his ID.

Seven attackers, two of whom had lived in Belgium, died during a series of assaults in the city, officials said.
Air strikes

Late on Sunday, French aircraft struck Raqqa in Syria – the stronghold of Islamic State (IS), the militant group that has claimed it was behind the Paris attacks.

President Francois Hollande had described Friday’s attacks in Paris as an act of war – and promised that France’s reaction would be pitiless.

Ten fighter jets operating out of French bases in Jordan and the UAE dropped 20 guided bombs on a command centre, recruitment centre for jihadists, a munitions depot and a training camp for fighters, the ministry said.

The attack was carried out in co-ordination with US forces.
Panic in Paris

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said Friday night’s attacks in Paris had been prepared “by a group of individuals based in Belgium” who had “benefited from accomplices in France”.

The attackers targeted bars and restaurants, a concert hall and the Stade de France, the country’s main sports stadium.

France is marking three days of national mourning. On Sunday, a memorial service was held at Notre Dame cathedral.

Meanwhile panic broke out at the Place de la Republique, where hundreds of people had gathered to honour the victims.

Crowds ran over flowers and candles. Police – who cleared the square – later said people may have mistaken the sound of firecrackers for gunfire.
The investigation

French police appealed for information about Salah Abdelslam but warned people not to approach him. Unnamed officials said he was one of three brothers linked to Friday’s attack.

Reports say Abdeslam had already been identified as the renter of a VW Polo found at the Bataclan concert hall, where 89 people were killed, when police near the Belgian border stopped him and two others as they travelled in another vehicle on Saturday morning.

But the officers let him go after checking his ID, media reported, quoting French police and security sources.

A Seat car found in Montreuil is believed to have been used by gunmen who opened fire on people in bars and restaurants on Friday, police say. A number of AK47 rifles were found in the car, French media quote judicial sources as saying.

Both the Seat and the VW Polo were rented in Belgium.

One of the Paris attackers lived in Brussels and another in the nearby suburb of Molenbeek, Belgian prosecutors said on Sunday, without naming either.

A total of seven men had been arrested in Molenbeek, they added. Not all are being held in direct connection with the Paris attacks. A brother of Salah Abdelslam was said to be among them, while another brother is reported to be one of the seven dead attackers.

The only dead attacker to be named so far is a 29-year-old Frenchman, Ismail Omar Mostefai. He had a criminal record and had been flagged up as a possible Islamist extremist by French intelligence.

Analysis: Gordon Corera, security correspondent, BBC News

French investigators are pursuing an international trail that stretches across Europe – and one concern for security services in other countries is how far Islamic State has already put in place the ability to replicate the Paris attacks.

There are unconfirmed reports that a similar style attack might have been planned in Turkey for the same time but was foiled.

Tracing back the Paris operatives to whoever organised them will be crucial in order to understand what else might be planned.

These attackers do not appear to have been people simply inspired by IS, but rather trained operatives.

And the fact that Western intelligence services do not appear to have picked up any signs of this plot from their human and electronic sources will only increase concerns.

IMAGES:

Mass was said at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris in homage to the victims

There were also gatherings at attack sites, such as here outside the Belle Equipe cafe, to remember victims

But there were also scenes of panic in some places after false alarms

For more on this story and video go to: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34826117

Islamic State claims responsibility

From The Sydney Morning Herald

The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility on Saturday for attacks that killed 127 people in Paris.

In an official statement the group claimed responsibility for the attacks and said its fighters, strapped with suicide bombing belts and carrying machine guns, carried out the attacks in various locations in the heart of the capital which were carefully studied.

It said “eight brothers wearing explosive belts and carrying assault rifles” conducted a “blessed attack on … Crusader France”.

The statement, published on Saturday in both Arabic and French, threatened further attacks against France “as long as it continues its Crusader campaign”.

It said the targets of Friday’s attacks, which included the national sports stadium and the Bataclan concert hall, “were carefully chosen”.

It said France was guilty of “striking Muslims in the caliphate with their aircraft.”

French President Francois Hollande said on Saturday the attacks in Paris that killed 127 people were “an act of war” organised from abroad by Islamic State with internal help.

“Faced with war, the country must take appropriate action,” he said, without saying what that meant.

Hollande said he would address parliament on Monday in an extraordinary meeting and the country would observe three days of official mourning for the victims of Friday’s attacks.

The attacks at a stadium, concert hall and cafes and restaurants in northern and eastern Paris were “an act of war committed by Daesh that was prepared, organised and planned from outside (of France)” with help from inside France, Hollande said, using the Arabic acronym for Islamic State.

“All measures to protect our compatriots and our territory are being taken within the framework of the state of emergency,” he said.

State of emergency: Francois Hollande declares the closing of France’s borders. Photo: AP

Islamic State released an undated video on Saturday urging Muslims to attack France.

The coordinated assault on Friday evening came as France, a founder member of the US-led coalition waging air strikes against Islamic State fighters in Syria and Iraq, was on high alert for terrorist attacks ahead of a global climate conference due to open later this month.

The deadliest attack was on the Bataclan, a popular concert venue where the Californian rock group Eagles of Death Metal was performing. The concert hall is just a few hundred metres from the former offices of the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, target of a deadly attack by Islamist gunmen in January.

Some witnesses in the hall said they heard the gunmen shout Islamic chants and slogans condemning France’s role in Syria.

Reuters

For more on this story and video go to: http://www.smh.com.au/world/paris-attacks-islamic-state-claims-responsibility-for-paris-attacks-20151114-gkz713.html#ixzz3rTngG9yn

Bataclan and other assaults leave many dead
From BBC

France has declared a national state of emergency and has closed its borders after at least 120 people were killed in gun and bomb attacks in Paris.

Some 80 people are reported to have died at the Bataclan concert hall in central Paris.

Gunmen took many hostages there before being overpowered by police.

Others died in a reported suicide blast near the Stade de France and gun attacks on city centre restaurants. Seven attackers are reported killed.

Paris residents have been asked to stay indoors and about 1,500 military personnel are being deployed across the city.

Speaking outside the Bataclan concert hall President Hollande said the attacks were “an abomination and a barbaric act”

The deadliest attack appears to have targeted the Bataclan concert hall, with unconfirmed reports saying that some concert-goers were shot after being taken hostage. Police sources told AFP news agency that at least 100 people had died there.

Speaking after arriving at the concert hall, President Francois Hollande said the attackers would be fought “without mercy”.

At least three gunmen are reported to have been killed at the venue.

Attack sites:

• Bataclan concert venue, 50 boulevard Voltaire, 11th district – hostages held
• Le Carillon, 18 rue Alibert, 10th district – gun attack
• Le Petit Cambodge, 20 rue Alibert, 10th district – gun attack
• La Belle Equipe, 92 rue de Charonne, 11th district – gun attack
• Near Stade de France, St Denis, just north of Paris – reported suicide bombing near venue as France v Germany football match played
• Reports of gunfire at at least two other sites

US President Barack Obama spoke of “an outrageous attempt to terrorise innocent civilians”.

UK PM David Cameron said he was shocked and pledged to do “whatever we can to help”.

For more on this story and video go to: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34814203 and BBC website: http://www.bbc.com/news/ for latest news on this incident