The National Assembly approved a motion to prolong strikes by 515 votes to four, with 10 abstentions, as the defence minister said all 27 other European Union members had offered “direct or indirect” military support.
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France is participating in a coalition of 65 countries, led by the United States, conducting airstrikes against ISIL in Syria and Iraq. President Francois Hollande cited specific threats against French interests stemming from Islamic State in Syria.
Chancellor Angela Merkel pldged to help France in the fight against Islamic State, saying that Germany is ready to strengthen its military commitment in global hotspots to free up French forces.
“Europe must say that it can no longer accommodate so many migrants, it is not possible”, he said in extracts from a lunch with foreign media published by Germany’s Suddeutsche Zeitung. Germany now provides weapons and training for Kurds fighting the group in Iraq.
“We must act. We must take all necessary steps to protect our population and our territories, because no country is safe”, Hollande said, while addressing a joint press conference with Merkel.
Since Nov. 13 and the subsequent terror raids in search of those connected with the attacks, Belgium has been on the highest level of security alert.
French police said they were analyzing a suspected suicide belt similar to those used in the Paris attacks, found without its detonator in a dustbin in a Paris suburb. Although he was stopped and checked by French authorities, he was allowed to pass as his name had not yet been linked to the attack.
One of Abdeslam’s brothers, Brahim, blew himself up outside a Paris cafe during the attacks.
Speaking on RTL radio, Mohamed Abdeslam said he shares the pain of victims’ families and wishes he and his family could have done something to prevent the bloodshed.
If we don’t do that, people will say: “‘Enough, Europe!'” he added, in comments confirmed by his entourage.
He said his brothers had shown no signs of radicalization.
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Emergency measures have also been taken in France.
