Terror in ParisFate of suspected mastermind of Paris attacks still unclear
The fate of Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the mastermind of Friday’s attacks in Paris, is still unclear after a massive early morning raid by the French police on an apartment building in the Paris suburb of Saint-Dennis. The Washington Post reported that the 27-years old Belgian of Moroccan origins was one of the two people killed in the raid, but other news outlets in France and the United States – including all leading French media — report that Abaaoud’s fate is unknown. The French authorities say that forensics experts have been combing the partially destroyed, seeking DNA and other evidence. Since the Friday attacks, the French police have launched 414 raids on sites where terrorists and terrorist supporters were suspected to be hiding.
The fate of Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the mastermind of Friday’s attacks in Paris, is still unclear after a massive early morning raid by the French police on an apartment building in the Paris suburb of Saint-Dennis.
Both the Washington Post and the New York Post reported that the 27-years old Belgian of Moroccan origins was one of the two people killed in the raid, but other news outlets in France and the United States – including all leading French media — report that Abaaoud’s fate is unknown.
The Washington Post quotes “two senior European officials,” while the New York Post quotes the Washington Post.
Le Figaro’s headline was more typical of the French media: “Abdelhamid Abaaoud et Salah Abdeslam ne font pas partie des gardés à vue” (Abdelhamid Abaaoud et Salah Abdeslam are not among those in custody).
The BBC reported that “Paris attack ‘mastermind’ fate unknown.”
CNN reported that it was “unclear if the mastermind is killed; DNA tests underway.”
French authorities reported that the police shot more than 5,000 bullets during the 7-hour operation.
Speaking with reporters after the operation was over, Paris prosecutor François Molins said he could not confirm the identities of the two people killed at the scene, and a French security official declined to confirm or deny that Abaaoud had died.
“But two senior European officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, said they received confirmation from the French that Abaaoud was slain in the raid,” the Washington Post reports.
It is not clear who these officials are since they are not quoted by any other news outlet.
The French authorities say that forensics experts have been combing the partially destroyed, seeking DNA and other evidence.
Molins revealed that a cellphone found in a trash bin outside the Bactalan concert hall helped police locate the safe house – or, rather, safe apartment — in Saint-Dennis.
Wednesday’s raid was launched, Molins said, because the authorities believed that Abaaoud was “entrenched” on the third floor of the apartment building. He confirmed that Abaaoud and another wanted suspect, Salah Abdeslam, were not among three people taken into custody at the apartment and the five people arrested on other locations.
The woman who killed herself in the apartment by exploding a suicide vest was identified as 26-year old Hasna Aitboulahcen, a cousin of Abaaoud’s.
The French authorities say that Wednesday’s raid was carried out in part to prevent a terrorist attacks in the La Defense business district.
In a meeting with French mayors, President Francois Hollande said: “We are at war against terrorism, terrorism which declared war on us. It is the [Islamic State] jihadist organization. It has an army. It has financial resources. It has oil. It has a territory.
“It has allies in Europe, including in our country,” he continued, “with young, radicalized Islamist people. It committed atrocities there and wants to kill here. It has killed here.”
The French police conducted 118 additional across France on Tuesday and Wednesday, making twenty-five arrests. Since the Friday attacks, the French police have launched 414 raids on sites where terrorists and terrorist supporters were suspected to be hiding.
