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Belgian Militant’s Father Fears for Younger Son’s Fate Investigators Find 3rd Body in Rubble of Police Raid Near Paris
(about 1 hour later)
PARIS — The father of the Belgian militant who is suspected of organizing the Paris terror attacks has expressed dismay to his lawyer that his son was not captured alive — because the family wanted to learn from him what happened to a younger son who was lured to fight for the Islamic State. PARIS — The French authorities said on Friday that they had discovered a third body in the wreckage of the police raid that killed Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the Belgian militant suspected of planning the Paris terror attacks.
“I think he was waiting for the raid to end very badly,” Nathalie Gallant, the lawyer for the father, Omar Abaaoud, told reporters in Brussels on Friday. His son Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the suspected planner who was killed in a police raid outside Paris on Wednesday, had persuaded a younger brother, Younes, to join him in Syria. Along with Mr. Abaaoud, a 26-year-old woman, Hasna Aitboulahcen, also died in the raid on Wednesday. Her passport was found in a handbag inside the apartment, said Agnès Thibault-Lecuivre, a spokeswoman for the Paris prosecutor. The third person who died in the raid — the existence of the body was confirmed overnight — has not yet been identified, Ms. Thibault-Lecuivre said.
“His only regret is that they didn’t capture him alive so that they could interrogate him,” Ms. Gallant said. “The father hoped to understand how his son could have gone off the tracks, understand why he took Younes with him, where Younes is, and whether he’s still alive or whether he’s dead.” Also on Friday, a lawyer for Mr. Abaaoud’s father, Omar, said he had expressed dismay that his son had not been captured alive — because the family wanted to learn what had happened to a younger son who was lured to fight for the Islamic State.
Meanwhile, the French authorities announced that a third body had been discovered in the wreckage of the raid in the northern Paris suburb of St.-Denis. “I think he was waiting for the raid to end very badly,” the lawyer, Nathalie Gallant, told reporters in Brussels. Abdelhamid Abaaoud had persuaded a younger brother, Younes, to join him in Syria.
Agnès Thibault-Lecuivre, a spokeswoman for the Paris prosecutor, said the existence of the third body had been confirmed overnight by investigators. Omar Abaaoud’s “only regret is that they didn’t capture him alive so that they could interrogate him,” Ms. Gallant said. “The father hoped to understand how his son could have gone off the tracks, understand why he took Younes with him, where Younes is, and whether he’s still alive or whether he’s dead.”
Along with Abdelhamid Abaaoud, a 26-year-old woman, Hasna Aitboulahcen, died in the raid. A passport in her name and a handbag were found inside the apartment, Ms. Thibault-Lecuivre said. The third person who died in the raid has not yet been identified. As the forensic investigation into the raid — a military-style police assault that included drones, robots, assault rifles and grenades — advanced, the Belgian authorities on Friday continued a manhunt for a fugitive, Salah Abdeslam, 26, who is believed to have fled after the attack.
As the forensic investigation into the raid — a military-style police assault that included drones, robots, assault rifles and grenades — continued, Élysée Palace officials announced that President François Hollande would preside over a national ceremony in tribute to the victims at the Invalides in Paris at 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 27. Two Belgians — Hamza Attou, 21, a Brussels native; and Mohamed Amri, 27, who was born in Morocco — appeared in court in Brussels on Friday on charges of participating in a terrorist activity.
On Friday, the French Parliament was expected to take the final steps to extend the state of emergency and expand its scope. Mr. Attou and Mr. Amri, who were detained on Tuesday, are accused of driving Mr. Abdeslam from Paris to Brussels after the attacks. Carine Couquelet, a lawyer who is representing Mr. Attou, has said the two men played no role in the assaults. “There are no indications pointing to his culpability,” she said of her client.
The two men received a call at about 2 a.m. on the morning after the attacks, Ms. Couquelet said earlier this week, drove across the border and into Paris and “simply went to get Salah, without knowing” what they were getting into.
When asked what the three had talked about during the ride home to Brussels, Mr. Abdeslam “appeared stressed out” but didn’t mention the attacks, said Mr. Amri’s lawyer, Xavier Carrette.
Mr. Amri and Mr. Attou were aware that “something had happened in Paris when they went to get Salah Abdeslam but didn’t suspect anything,” Mr. Carrette said.
Also on Friday, French officials announced that President François Hollande would preside over a national ceremony in tribute to the victims, at the Invalides in Paris at 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 27.
The French Parliament was also expected to take the final steps to extend the state of emergency and expand its scope.
The Senate, the upper house of Parliament, will discuss and vote on the emergency bill on Friday afternoon, a day after the National Assembly, the lower house, overwhelmingly passed it.The Senate, the upper house of Parliament, will discuss and vote on the emergency bill on Friday afternoon, a day after the National Assembly, the lower house, overwhelmingly passed it.
In addition to extending the state of emergency for three months, starting on Nov. 26, the bill strengthens the powers of a 1955 emergency law to allow the dissolution of radical groups running mosques and other places of prayer; the blocking of websites and social media that glorify or incite terrorism; and the use, in certain cases, of electronic tagging for those placed under house arrest.In addition to extending the state of emergency for three months, starting on Nov. 26, the bill strengthens the powers of a 1955 emergency law to allow the dissolution of radical groups running mosques and other places of prayer; the blocking of websites and social media that glorify or incite terrorism; and the use, in certain cases, of electronic tagging for those placed under house arrest.
Although a bill is usually sent back and forth between the two houses with amendments, the Senate is expected to pass the emergency legislation with no modifications.Although a bill is usually sent back and forth between the two houses with amendments, the Senate is expected to pass the emergency legislation with no modifications.
The Belgian authorities on Friday continued a manhunt for a fugitive, Salah Abdeslam, 26, who is believed to have fled after the attack, while two Belgians were expected to appear in court on charges that they helped him escape. European Union interior and justice ministers met in an emergency session in Brussels on Friday, as the twin challenges of migration and terrorism have compelled the bloc to re-evaluate one of its proudest achievements: the free movement of people across its borders.
The two men — Hamza Attou, 21, a Brussels native; and Mohamed Amri, 27, who was born in Morocco — face charges of participating in a terrorist activity, and a judge will decide whether to extend their detention. With the focus now on bolstering security one week after the Paris attacks, the ministers are expected to give their backing to measures demanded by France this week that include tightening external borders.
The two men, who were detained on Tuesday, are accused of driving Mr. Abdeslam from Paris to Brussels after the attacks. Carine Couquelet, a lawyer who is representing Mr. Attou, has said the two men played no role in the assaults.
They received a call at about 2 a.m. on the morning after the attacks, she said earlier this week, drove across the border and into Paris and “simply went to get Salah, without knowing” what they were getting into.
Also on Friday, European Union interior and justice ministers were meeting in an emergency session in Brussels, as the twin challenges of migration and terrorism have compelled the bloc to re-evaluate one of its proudest achievements: the free movement of people across its borders.
With the focus now on bolstering security one week after the Paris attacks, the ministers are expected to give their political backing to measures demanded by France this week that include tightening external borders.
Other French proposals aimed at curbing the trade in weapons and keeping records of air passengers have already been the subject of discussions for months. But they are likely to be given added momentum at the meeting.Other French proposals aimed at curbing the trade in weapons and keeping records of air passengers have already been the subject of discussions for months. But they are likely to be given added momentum at the meeting.
The main focus of the talks is expected to be on the outer edges of the bloc’s free movement area, which includes the porous border into Greece.The main focus of the talks is expected to be on the outer edges of the bloc’s free movement area, which includes the porous border into Greece.
Concerns about Europe’s external borders were amplified this week by suggestions that Mr. Abaaoud, a Belgian of Moroccan origin, had traveled from the Middle East back to the European Union without facing adequate checks.Concerns about Europe’s external borders were amplified this week by suggestions that Mr. Abaaoud, a Belgian of Moroccan origin, had traveled from the Middle East back to the European Union without facing adequate checks.
The French authorities said this week that they had received no warning that Mr. Abaaoud was inside the European Union — until a foreign intelligence service told them on Monday evening.The French authorities said this week that they had received no warning that Mr. Abaaoud was inside the European Union — until a foreign intelligence service told them on Monday evening.
The discovery of a Syrian passport on the body of one of the perpetrators of the Paris attacks also heightened concerns. It appears that the attacker stole the passport of a Syrian man and used it to enter Greece. The discovery of a Syrian passport near the body of one of the perpetrators of the Paris attacks also heightened concerns. It appears that the attacker had stolen the passport of a Syrian man and used it to enter Greece.
As he arrived at the meeting in Brussels, Bernard Cazeneuve, the French interior minister, told reporters that he was seeking “a considerable reinforcement of controls of external borders of the European Union.” More robust checks were needed because “terrorists cross borders within the European Union,” said Mr. Cazeneuve. Bernard Cazeneuve, the French interior minister, told reporters as he arrived at the meeting in Brussels that he was seeking “a considerable reinforcement of controls of external borders of the European Union.” More robust checks were needed because “terrorists cross borders within the European Union,” he said.
Theresa May, the British home secretary, told reporters as she arrived that there was “a clear link between security of the external border — the E.U.’s external borders — and security within the E.U.” Theresa May, the British home secretary, told reporters as she arrived at the meeting that there was “a clear link between security of the external border — the E.U.’s external borders — and security within the E.U.”
Bolstering the external border could force the bloc to re-evaluate its priorities if such steps worsen the conditions for refugees seeking a haven from war and persecution. The bloc has already struggled to devise a unified humanitarian response in order to prevent migrants languishing in the winter cold at the Continent’s frontiers or drowning off its coastlines.Bolstering the external border could force the bloc to re-evaluate its priorities if such steps worsen the conditions for refugees seeking a haven from war and persecution. The bloc has already struggled to devise a unified humanitarian response in order to prevent migrants languishing in the winter cold at the Continent’s frontiers or drowning off its coastlines.
Any modification to the so-called Schengen area, which includes more than 20 European Union member states, is also a hugely sensitive political matter. The area symbolizes the goal of knitting together nations and economies to boost prosperity and peace that is central to the European project. Neither France nor Germany will want to unravel that system entirely.Any modification to the so-called Schengen area, which includes more than 20 European Union member states, is also a hugely sensitive political matter. The area symbolizes the goal of knitting together nations and economies to boost prosperity and peace that is central to the European project. Neither France nor Germany will want to unravel that system entirely.
But the ministers do seem likely to approve initiatives aimed at tightening up the system and extending checks. A key French demand this week requested that police at the borders of the Schengen area check the records of citizens holding passports from countries inside the zone as rigorously as those holding passports from countries outside.But the ministers do seem likely to approve initiatives aimed at tightening up the system and extending checks. A key French demand this week requested that police at the borders of the Schengen area check the records of citizens holding passports from countries inside the zone as rigorously as those holding passports from countries outside.
Another French demand is to speed up a long-stalled deal for storing passenger records from flights between European cities and to allow the authorities to keep those records for one year.Another French demand is to speed up a long-stalled deal for storing passenger records from flights between European cities and to allow the authorities to keep those records for one year.
“The negotiations have taken too long — that must be concluded,” said Ms. May, referring to the initiative to retain the passenger records.“The negotiations have taken too long — that must be concluded,” said Ms. May, referring to the initiative to retain the passenger records.
Paris has also called for the meeting on Friday to pressure states in the western Balkans to adopt “severe” curbs on arms trafficking.Paris has also called for the meeting on Friday to pressure states in the western Balkans to adopt “severe” curbs on arms trafficking.