He is said to be a key Islamic State recruiter of jihadists to Syria.
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Hollande said France will be increasing its military efforts to “destroy” the evil terror organization. “We have been extremely stupid”, one anti-Islamic State rebel told me on condition of anonymity to protect his family.
Hollande said France wanted more effective controls of the European Union’s external borders to avoid a return to national border controls and the dismantling of the European Union. In the southwestern city of Toulouse, thousands gathered in the central square, waving French flags and singing “La Marseillaise”, France’s national anthem. Most US Republican presidential candidates have said the United States should block Syrian refugees, with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Texas Sen. “We will not yield to terrorism by suspending our way of life”.
“Abaaoud and Salah Abdeslam knew each other and were involved in the same petty crimes”, the French source said.
– Molins said that at least 129 people were killed and 352 wounded in the attacks.
In one of the clips, Belgian-raised Abdelhamid Abaaoud, whose nom de guerre is Abu Omar al-Belgiki, can be seen giving an impromptu monologue on waging jihad on non-Muslims, praising the act of killing enemies and seeing their blood spilled. “We found out about it from the television as many of you did”, Mohammad Abdeslam said.
German authorities also confirmed Tuesday that three people were arrested near the city of Aachen in connection with the ongoing investigation into the Paris attacks.
“Until further notice, [Eucom] has prohibited unofficial travel to Paris, and for DoD personnel who are traveling outside Paris, it requires a higher level of approval to go”, he added.
Seven of the Paris attackers died Friday – six after detonating suicide belts and a seventh from police gunfire – but Iraqi intelligence officials told The Associated Press that their sources indicated 19 people had participated in the Paris attacks and five others had provided hands-on logistical support.
Abdeslam is believed to have fled after gunning down people at bars and cafes in Paris’ 10th and 11th arrondissements late Friday alongside his brother Brahim Abdeslam, who later blew himself up outside a bar on Boulevard Voltaire, seriously wounding one person.
Hollande also called for increased security spending with the creation of 5,000 police jobs; as well a reform to an article of the constitution which pertains to the government’s handling of imminent peril, armed insurrection and foreign attack. “We spent months trying to find a way into Europe, and by Allah’s strength, we succeeded in finally making our way to Belgium”. “The best would be for him to surrender, so that the justice system may shed light on this situation”.
By then, hours had passed since authorities identified Abdeslam as the renter of a Volkswagen Polo that carried hostage takers to the Paris theatre where so many died.
Abaaoud is believed to have escaped to Syria after a January police raid in Belgium, but he has bragged in Islamic State propaganda of his ability to move back and forth between Europe and Syria undetected.
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve told reporters police had arrested almost two dozen people and seized arms, including a rocket launcher and automatic weapons, in 168 raids overnight.
Secretary of State John Kerry said Tuesday, as he met in Paris with President Francois Hollande to show solidarity with France in the wake of last week’s attacks.
Even as the contours of the plot and its organizers started to emerge, Schiff warned that much was still unknown about how much of the plot was directed from Syria, and how much autonomy had been left to conspirators in France, Belgium and elsewhere.
“There are a few very large missing parts”, he said.
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Hollande pledged that French fighter jets would intensify their assaults and said he would meet U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the coming days to urge them to pool their resources.
