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Chief Suspect in Paris Attacks Died in Raid, France Says Paris Attack’s Top Suspect, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, Died in Raid, France Says
(35 minutes later)
PARIS — Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the Belgian militant suspected of orchestrating the Paris terrorist attacks, was killed in a police raid in the northern Paris suburb of St.-Denis early Wednesday, the French authorities announced on Thursday. PARIS — Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the Belgian militant suspected of orchestrating the Paris terrorist attacks, died in a police raid in the northern Paris suburb of St.-Denis early Wednesday, the French authorities announced on Thursday.
The confirmation of Mr. Abaaoud’s death followed fingerprint analysis, the Paris prosecutor, François Molins, said in a statement. Mr. Abaaoud’s body was heavily riddled with wounds from gunfire and a grenade detonated during the raid. “We do not know at this stage whether Abaaoud blew himself up or not,” Mr. Molins’s office said.The confirmation of Mr. Abaaoud’s death followed fingerprint analysis, the Paris prosecutor, François Molins, said in a statement. Mr. Abaaoud’s body was heavily riddled with wounds from gunfire and a grenade detonated during the raid. “We do not know at this stage whether Abaaoud blew himself up or not,” Mr. Molins’s office said.
The raid killed at least one other person: a woman who detonated a suicide vest, whom two French intelligence officials have identified as Hasna Aitboulahcen, 26, a cousin of Mr. Abaaoud. At least one other person died in the raid: a woman who detonated a suicide vest, whom two French intelligence officials have identified as Hasna Aitboulahcen, 26, a cousin of Mr. Abaaoud.
French intelligence officials have concluded that Mr. Abaaoud was involved in at least four of six terrorist plots in France that have been foiled since the spring, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve announced at a news conference.
Mr. Abaaoud, who is 27 or 28, has fought in Syria for the Islamic State, but it was not until Monday that French authorities learned — through a foreign intelligence service — that he might be back in Europe, Mr. Cazeneuve said.
Mr. Abaaoud had already been linked to two terrorist conspiracies in France this year: an April plot to attack a church in the southern Paris suburb of Villejuif, and an August attack aboard a high-speed train heading to Paris by a heavily armed man who opened fire before being overpowered by other passengers.
Mr. Cazeneuve said “it is urgent for Europe to come together” to better share intelligence and prevent further attacks. He said that justice ministers from European Union member states would gather in Brussels on Friday for an emergency meeting on the matter.
“We now know that Abaaoud, the brain behind these attacks — one of the brains, because we must be particularly cautious, and we know what the threats are — was among the dead,” Prime Minister Manuel Valls told the National Assembly, the lower house of the French Parliament.“We now know that Abaaoud, the brain behind these attacks — one of the brains, because we must be particularly cautious, and we know what the threats are — was among the dead,” Prime Minister Manuel Valls told the National Assembly, the lower house of the French Parliament.
Mr. Valls praised the “exceptional work” of the French police and intelligence services, prompting applause from lawmakers who were gathered to discuss a government-backed bill to overhaul France’s state of emergency law.Mr. Valls praised the “exceptional work” of the French police and intelligence services, prompting applause from lawmakers who were gathered to discuss a government-backed bill to overhaul France’s state of emergency law.
Mr. Abaaoud’s death ended one chapter of the intense criminal investigation that began on Friday night, after three teams of terrorists, in a series of closely coordinated attacks, killed 129 people.Mr. Abaaoud’s death ended one chapter of the intense criminal investigation that began on Friday night, after three teams of terrorists, in a series of closely coordinated attacks, killed 129 people.
But many questions remained unanswered: how Mr. Abaaoud had planned and organized the attacks; whether the Islamic State was planning additional assaults outside its stronghold in Syria and Iraq; and the identities of at least two other attackers.But many questions remained unanswered: how Mr. Abaaoud had planned and organized the attacks; whether the Islamic State was planning additional assaults outside its stronghold in Syria and Iraq; and the identities of at least two other attackers.
Mr. Abaaoud, 27 or 28, was born in Morocco and grew up in modest but by no means impoverished circumstances in Molenbeek, the gritty Brussels district that has emerged as a center of jihadist activity. His father, Omar, owned a clothing store, and the family lived nearby in a spacious if shabby corner home on the Rue de l’Avenir — Future Street — near the local police station. Mr. Abaaoud was born in Morocco and grew up in modest but by no means impoverished circumstances in Molenbeek, the gritty Brussels district that has emerged as a center of jihadist activity. His father, Omar, owned a clothing store, and the family lived nearby in a spacious if shabby corner home on the Rue de l’Avenir — Future Street — near the local police station.
Despite his subsequent denunciations of the mistreatment of Muslims in Europe, he enjoyed privileges available to few immigrants, including admission to an exclusive Catholic school, the Collège St.-Pierre d’Uccle, in an upscale residential district of Brussels.Despite his subsequent denunciations of the mistreatment of Muslims in Europe, he enjoyed privileges available to few immigrants, including admission to an exclusive Catholic school, the Collège St.-Pierre d’Uccle, in an upscale residential district of Brussels.
He was given a place as a first-year student in the secondary school but stayed only a year. A school official said he had apparently flunked out. Others say he was dismissed for poor behavior.He was given a place as a first-year student in the secondary school but stayed only a year. A school official said he had apparently flunked out. Others say he was dismissed for poor behavior.
He then drifted into a group in Molenbeek who engaged in various petty crimes. Among his friends were Ibrahim and Salah Abdeslam, two brothers who lived just a few blocks from Mr. Abaaoud in Molenbeek. Ibrahim Abdeslam died in the attacks on Friday night, while Salah is the target of an international manhunt.He then drifted into a group in Molenbeek who engaged in various petty crimes. Among his friends were Ibrahim and Salah Abdeslam, two brothers who lived just a few blocks from Mr. Abaaoud in Molenbeek. Ibrahim Abdeslam died in the attacks on Friday night, while Salah is the target of an international manhunt.
It is not clear when and how Mr. Abaaoud became radicalized, but in 2010 he spent time in prison, a notorious breeding ground of Islamic militancy in Europe. To the dismay of his family, which had not seen him show any religious zeal, Mr. Abaaoud suddenly moved to Syria in the beginning of 2014, according to experts on jihadist activity who track Belgian militants.It is not clear when and how Mr. Abaaoud became radicalized, but in 2010 he spent time in prison, a notorious breeding ground of Islamic militancy in Europe. To the dismay of his family, which had not seen him show any religious zeal, Mr. Abaaoud suddenly moved to Syria in the beginning of 2014, according to experts on jihadist activity who track Belgian militants.
Soon after his arrival in Syria, where he stayed for a time in a grand villa in Aleppo used to house French-speaking jihadists, he explained his choice in a video: “All my life I have seen the blood of Muslims flow. I pray that God breaks the backs of those who oppose him” and “that he exterminates them,” he said.Soon after his arrival in Syria, where he stayed for a time in a grand villa in Aleppo used to house French-speaking jihadists, he explained his choice in a video: “All my life I have seen the blood of Muslims flow. I pray that God breaks the backs of those who oppose him” and “that he exterminates them,” he said.
This year, the French magazine Paris Match found a film that showed Mr. Abaaoud grinning and making jokes as he dragged corpses behind a pickup truck to a mass grave, a showing that had already brought him to the attention of the counterterrorism authorities. He also persuaded his younger brother, Younes, who was still in Molenbeek and only 13, to join him in Syria in 2014. Younes left Belgium for Syria on his own, without being stopped by the authorities.This year, the French magazine Paris Match found a film that showed Mr. Abaaoud grinning and making jokes as he dragged corpses behind a pickup truck to a mass grave, a showing that had already brought him to the attention of the counterterrorism authorities. He also persuaded his younger brother, Younes, who was still in Molenbeek and only 13, to join him in Syria in 2014. Younes left Belgium for Syria on his own, without being stopped by the authorities.
Abdelhamid Abaaoud returned from Syria some time last year and is thought to have organized a terrorist cell in Verviers, eastern Belgium, that the police broke up in a raid in January in which two of his associates died. In July, he was sentenced in absentia to 20 years in prison in connection with that plot, which was aimed at killing security officers.Abdelhamid Abaaoud returned from Syria some time last year and is thought to have organized a terrorist cell in Verviers, eastern Belgium, that the police broke up in a raid in January in which two of his associates died. In July, he was sentenced in absentia to 20 years in prison in connection with that plot, which was aimed at killing security officers.
Mr. Abaaoud managed to slip away, however, his trail growing cold in Greece, and he is thought to have returned to Syria. In August, he was implicated in a foiled attack aboard a train from Amsterdam to Paris.Mr. Abaaoud managed to slip away, however, his trail growing cold in Greece, and he is thought to have returned to Syria. In August, he was implicated in a foiled attack aboard a train from Amsterdam to Paris.
He then disappeared from police radar until Friday — when one of his plots succeeded.He then disappeared from police radar until Friday — when one of his plots succeeded.
On Thursday, a woman answered the buzzer at the flat where Yasmina, Mr. Abaaoud’s sister, lives. She shouted: “Stop coming here, you’re terrorizing the neighborhood, I’m going to call the police!”On Thursday, a woman answered the buzzer at the flat where Yasmina, Mr. Abaaoud’s sister, lives. She shouted: “Stop coming here, you’re terrorizing the neighborhood, I’m going to call the police!”
Earlier on Thursday, the Belgian police conducted their own sweep in Brussels in relation to Bilal Hadfi, 20, who detonated his explosive vest outside the Stade de France arena on Friday. A spokesman for the Belgian federal prosecutor said that the houses of Mr. Hadfi’s friends and relatives were being searched. One person has been detained for questioning.Earlier on Thursday, the Belgian police conducted their own sweep in Brussels in relation to Bilal Hadfi, 20, who detonated his explosive vest outside the Stade de France arena on Friday. A spokesman for the Belgian federal prosecutor said that the houses of Mr. Hadfi’s friends and relatives were being searched. One person has been detained for questioning.
A senior Belgian counterterrorism official, who requested anonymity because he is not authorized to discuss ongoing investigations, said there were six raids — including in the neighborhoods of Laeken, Molenbeek, Uccle and Jette — aimed at interviewing people in Mr. Hadfi’s inner circle, who may have had knowledge of the attacks.A senior Belgian counterterrorism official, who requested anonymity because he is not authorized to discuss ongoing investigations, said there were six raids — including in the neighborhoods of Laeken, Molenbeek, Uccle and Jette — aimed at interviewing people in Mr. Hadfi’s inner circle, who may have had knowledge of the attacks.
“We need to close doors in the case, as we say, and do checks,” he said, adding that Mr. Hadfi had been on a list of foreign fighters who had gone to Syria.“We need to close doors in the case, as we say, and do checks,” he said, adding that Mr. Hadfi had been on a list of foreign fighters who had gone to Syria.
The latest search for suspects came as Mr. Valls said an attack using “chemical or biological weapons” in France could not be ruled out, and the Belgian prime minister, Charles Michel, asked Parliament to approve a variety of strict new security measures.The latest search for suspects came as Mr. Valls said an attack using “chemical or biological weapons” in France could not be ruled out, and the Belgian prime minister, Charles Michel, asked Parliament to approve a variety of strict new security measures.
Separately, the White House said President Obama would not abandon plans to attend climate change talks in Paris at the end of the month despite the security concerns.Separately, the White House said President Obama would not abandon plans to attend climate change talks in Paris at the end of the month despite the security concerns.