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2 Suspects Identified as Paris Attack Investigation Widens Details on Two Paris Assailants Emerge as Investigation Widens
(35 minutes later)
PARIS — The investigation into the Paris terrorist attacks unfurled across Europe on Sunday, from France to Belgium to Serbia, as the authorities worked to track down the identities and allies of the assailants who laid siege to Paris for three terrifying hours on Friday night, killing at least 129 people.PARIS — The investigation into the Paris terrorist attacks unfurled across Europe on Sunday, from France to Belgium to Serbia, as the authorities worked to track down the identities and allies of the assailants who laid siege to Paris for three terrifying hours on Friday night, killing at least 129 people.
French investigators were hunting for more information on the first of the attackers to be identified, Ismaël Omar Mostefaï, 29, a French citizen who had been living in Chartres, 60 miles southwest of Paris.French investigators were hunting for more information on the first of the attackers to be identified, Ismaël Omar Mostefaï, 29, a French citizen who had been living in Chartres, 60 miles southwest of Paris.
There were also indications that not all of those involved in plotting and carrying out the attacks had been killed on Friday night. In the eastern Paris suburb of Montreuil, the authorities found three Kalashnikov rifles — the kind used in the attacks — in an abandoned vehicle that may have been used as a getaway car. There were also indications that not all of those involved in plotting and carrying out the attacks had been killed on Friday night. In the eastern Paris suburb of Montreuil, the authorities found three Kalashnikov rifles — the kind used in the attacks — in an abandoned black Seat Leon that was used as a getaway car for the shooters at several restaurants in central Paris.
French officials were also coordinating closely with the authorities in Belgium, who made a series of arrests on Saturday — three in Brussels, and four at the border with France — that left open the possibility that the plot had roots there. At least one of the men was linked to a rental car used in the attacks. French officials were also coordinating closely with the authorities in Belgium, who made a series of arrests on Saturday that left open the possibility that the plot had roots there. At least one of the seven men detained was linked to a rented Volkswagen Polo that had been used by the three terrorists who killed 89 people at the Bataclan concert hall.
Reports from Serbia on Sunday said the authorities there had identified the holder of a Syrian passport found near one of the attackers in Paris. Responding to requests from French officials, Greece and Serbia confirmed that the holder of the passport had passed through their countries last month along with tens of thousands of migrants fleeing Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.Reports from Serbia on Sunday said the authorities there had identified the holder of a Syrian passport found near one of the attackers in Paris. Responding to requests from French officials, Greece and Serbia confirmed that the holder of the passport had passed through their countries last month along with tens of thousands of migrants fleeing Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
News organizations identified the passport holder as Ahmad al-Mohammad, 25. Serbian officials said he had been registered at the town of Presevo, on the border with Macedonia, on Oct. 7 as part of the migrant flow. Greek officials have confirmed that the same man passed through the island of Leros on Oct. 3. The Serbian newspaper Blic published a photograph of a passport page that identified its holder as Ahmad al-Mohammad, 25, a native of Idlib, Syria. Serbian officials said he had been registered at the town of Presevo, on the border with Macedonia, on Oct. 7 as part of the migrant flow. Greek officials have confirmed that the same man passed through the island of Leros on Oct. 3. It was not clear, however, if the passport was authentic; there is an active black market for forged Syrian passports.
Fundamental questions remained: how the terrorists, who acted in three synchronized teams, managed to pull off the deadliest terrorist attack in Western Europe since 2004, and whether they received direction from Islamic State leaders in Iraq and Syria, who until now had never taken responsibility for such a large-scale attack in the West.Fundamental questions remained: how the terrorists, who acted in three synchronized teams, managed to pull off the deadliest terrorist attack in Western Europe since 2004, and whether they received direction from Islamic State leaders in Iraq and Syria, who until now had never taken responsibility for such a large-scale attack in the West.
But the carefully coordinated attacks now appear increasingly likely to have drawn from people from several nations and to have involved extensive planning as well as sophisticated weapons.But the carefully coordinated attacks now appear increasingly likely to have drawn from people from several nations and to have involved extensive planning as well as sophisticated weapons.
Mr. Mostefaï was publicly identified in a Facebook post by the mayor of Chartres, Jean-Pierre Gorges. Mr. Mostefaï was one of three hostage-takers at the Bataclan, the concert hall where 89 people attending a rock performance died, and who was identified based on a print from his severed finger.Mr. Mostefaï was publicly identified in a Facebook post by the mayor of Chartres, Jean-Pierre Gorges. Mr. Mostefaï was one of three hostage-takers at the Bataclan, the concert hall where 89 people attending a rock performance died, and who was identified based on a print from his severed finger.
Mr. Mostefaï was born in the town of Courcouronnes and grew up around Chartres, where he lived until 2012. According to the Paris prosecutor, François Molins, he was arrested in connection with a series of low-level crimes from 2004 to 2010 and had been under surveillance since 2010, having been listed in a French security services database of people who have fallen under the influence of extremist Islamist beliefs. Six of his relatives have been detained for questioning; On Sunday other relatives told French television that he had been estranged from them after a falling-out. Mr. Mostefaï was born in the town of Courcouronnes and grew up around Chartres, where he lived until 2012. According to the Paris prosecutor, François Molins, he was arrested in connection with a series of low-level crimes from 2004 to 2010 and had been under surveillance since 2010, having been listed in a French security services database of people who have fallen under the influence of extremist Islamist beliefs. Six of his relatives have been detained for questioning; on Sunday, other relatives told French television that he had been estranged from them after a falling-out.
In his Facebook post, Mayor Gorges of Chartres expressed despair and frustration. “How many deaths will occur before our political leaders understand and take action?” he asked, describing the “emotion, incomprehension and anger” he felt at the deaths.In his Facebook post, Mayor Gorges of Chartres expressed despair and frustration. “How many deaths will occur before our political leaders understand and take action?” he asked, describing the “emotion, incomprehension and anger” he felt at the deaths.
Mayor Gorges called for strong action, without questions asked. “Our leaders don’t need to prove they are legitimate: we have elected them so they take responsibility of the executive power of the republic,” he wrote on Facebook. “Their duty is to act effectively, and we don’t need to know how.” Mayor Gorges called for strong action, without asking questions first. “Our leaders don’t need to prove they are legitimate: we have elected them so they take responsibility of the executive power of the republic,” he wrote on Facebook. “Their duty is to act effectively, and ultimately we don’t need to know how.”
Mr. Mostefaï previously lived in a housing development just outside Chartres. “He lived here with his parents,” said a neighbor, who declined to provide his name. “It was a normal family, just like everybody else. It was in 2010, that’s when he started to become radicalized.”
On Sunday, President François Hollande met his predecessor and political rival, Nicolas Sarkozy, at the Élysée Palace. Afterward, Mr. Sarkozy urged decisive action against the Islamic State — a position Mr. Hollande has also taken.
“We need everybody in order to exterminate Daesh, and especially the Russians,” Mr. Sarkozy told reporters, using an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State.
Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin, is a steadfast ally of Syria’s embattled president, Bashar al-Assad, and recently began an aerial bombing campaign in Syria. The United States and France say the attacks have not been aimed at the Islamic State, as Mr. Putin claims, but at other groups opposing Mr. Assad.
Mr. Sarkozy, who has been known to be tough on immigrants during his tenure as president, cautioned against linking the refugee crisis with the terrorist attacks, but added: “We need, together, to rein in the wave of migration ensuing from the Syrian situation.”
As the investigation proceeded, President Obama and other leaders of the Group of 20 industrialized and emerging nations converged for a scheduled summit meeting in Antalya, Turkey, on the doorstep of the Syrian crisis.As the investigation proceeded, President Obama and other leaders of the Group of 20 industrialized and emerging nations converged for a scheduled summit meeting in Antalya, Turkey, on the doorstep of the Syrian crisis.
Mr. Obama said that the “skies have been darkened by the horrific attacks” in Paris and pledged that America would support France, its oldest ally. “We stand in solidarity with them in hunting down the perpetrators of this crime and bringing them to justice,” Mr. Obama said early Sunday morning after a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey at the start of a 10-day trip that will also take him to the Philippines and Malaysia.Mr. Obama said that the “skies have been darkened by the horrific attacks” in Paris and pledged that America would support France, its oldest ally. “We stand in solidarity with them in hunting down the perpetrators of this crime and bringing them to justice,” Mr. Obama said early Sunday morning after a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey at the start of a 10-day trip that will also take him to the Philippines and Malaysia.
At the same summit meeting, the president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, said there was no need for a complete review of the bloc’s refugee policy in response to the terrorist attacks.At the same summit meeting, the president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, said there was no need for a complete review of the bloc’s refugee policy in response to the terrorist attacks.
“Those who organized, who perpetrated the attacks are the very same people who the refugees are fleeing and not the opposite,” Agence-France Presse quoted Mr. Juncker as saying. “And so there is no need for an overall review of the European policy on refugees.”“Those who organized, who perpetrated the attacks are the very same people who the refugees are fleeing and not the opposite,” Agence-France Presse quoted Mr. Juncker as saying. “And so there is no need for an overall review of the European policy on refugees.”
Pope Francis on Sunday deplored the terrorist attacks in Paris, which he described as an inconceivable “barbarity” and an “unspeakable affront to human dignity” that “leaves us shocked” and must be condemned.Pope Francis on Sunday deplored the terrorist attacks in Paris, which he described as an inconceivable “barbarity” and an “unspeakable affront to human dignity” that “leaves us shocked” and must be condemned.
“The path of violence and hatred does not solve the problems of humanity, and using the name of God to justify this path is blasphemy,” Francis told thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his weekly Angelus address.“The path of violence and hatred does not solve the problems of humanity, and using the name of God to justify this path is blasphemy,” Francis told thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his weekly Angelus address.
“We wonder how the human heart can conceive and carry out such horrific events, which have shaken not only France but the whole world,” Francis said, before asking the faithful present to pray with him for the victims of the attacks.“We wonder how the human heart can conceive and carry out such horrific events, which have shaken not only France but the whole world,” Francis said, before asking the faithful present to pray with him for the victims of the attacks.
Security measures at St. Peter’s, already significant, were increased on Sunday. The Italian government on Saturday said it would bolster surveillance of potential terrorist targets.Security measures at St. Peter’s, already significant, were increased on Sunday. The Italian government on Saturday said it would bolster surveillance of potential terrorist targets.