Senior Iraqi intelligence officials warned members of the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group of imminent assaults by the militant organization just one day before last week’s deadly attacks in Paris killed 129 people, the AP has learned.
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Hollande appealed for amendments to the constitution that would create “an appropriate tool we can use without having to resort to the state of emergency”, the BBC reported.
Mr Hollande said he would seek to extend the powers for three months.
He also proposed measures to speed up the expulsion of foreigners considered a threat to public order, strip binational citizens who carry out acts hostile to national security of French citizenship, and bar binationals considered a terrorism risk from entering French territory.
Molenbeek was home to one of the 2004 Madrid train bombers and the main suspect in the 2014 Jewish Museum attack in Brussels, while the perpetrator of a foiled attack in August on an Amsterdam-Paris train stayed in Molenbeek with his sister before boarding in Brussels.
“Abaaoud and Salah Abdeslam knew each other and were involved in the same petty crimes”, the French source said.
Mohamed was taken into custody by Belgian police after the attacks, but was released after several hours of questioning. Ismael Mostefai, 29 and also from France, was also identified as a suspect. Believed to be close to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Abaaoud was linked to a plan to attack Belgian police that was thwarted in January.
French President Francois Hollande said the victims were of 19 different nationalities.
In neighbouring Belgium, the base for numerous attackers, police surrounded a suspected hideout for a man identified as a driver for the attackers, 26-year-old Salah Abdeslam, but came up empty after charging into the property.
French tourism-related stocks fell sharply on fears visitors might shun Paris, one of the most visited cities in the world, but the country’s blue-chip CAC 40 index was steady, with no long-term economic impact seen.
Police believe there were at least seven terrorists who died during the attacks. French officials have determined that the bomber was among refugees who arrived on the Greek island of Leros among numerous Syrian refugees on October 3.
“I would anticipate this is not the only operation they have in the pipeline”, he said.
“My brother [Salah, the eighth suspected terrorist, who is wanted by all European forces] has not yet been heard from, maybe he does not dare present himself to the court”.
“There was no evidence to hold me back any longer, that is why I thank the judge who released me unconditionally”.
One of the Paris attackers reportedly ran a bar in Brussels that was shut down because police said customers smoked marijuana there, according to a document obtained by AFP Monday. “I will meet in the coming days with U.S. President Obama and President Putin”, he said.
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He said that more than 150 police raids have been carried out since Friday across France under the state of emergency.
