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Woman Says She Told Police About Paris Attacker’s Hide-Out Woman Says She Told Police About Paris Attacker’s Hide-Out
(35 minutes later)
PARIS — An unidentified woman claimed in an interview broadcast on Thursday that she had tipped the French police off to the hide-out of the ringleader of the Nov. 13 Paris attacks, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, who was killed in a shootout.PARIS — An unidentified woman claimed in an interview broadcast on Thursday that she had tipped the French police off to the hide-out of the ringleader of the Nov. 13 Paris attacks, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, who was killed in a shootout.
The woman appears to have decided to speak out because she feels aggrieved that the authorities have not done more to help her make a new start. For her protection, the security services requested that she change her name and move, and as a result she had to give up her job.The woman appears to have decided to speak out because she feels aggrieved that the authorities have not done more to help her make a new start. For her protection, the security services requested that she change her name and move, and as a result she had to give up her job.
The woman, who had her face hidden and her voice disguised in an interview with BFM-TV and its affiliated radio station, said she was a friend of Mr. Abaaoud’s cousin Hasna Ait Boulahcen, who was also killed when the police raided a rundown apartment in the Paris suburb of St.-Denis days after the attack.The woman, who had her face hidden and her voice disguised in an interview with BFM-TV and its affiliated radio station, said she was a friend of Mr. Abaaoud’s cousin Hasna Ait Boulahcen, who was also killed when the police raided a rundown apartment in the Paris suburb of St.-Denis days after the attack.
The woman had never met Mr. Abaaoud before, she said, but was with Ms. Boulahcen when Mr. Abaaoud called unexpectedly two days after the attacks and summoned his cousin to his hiding place in the brush under a highway bridge near the Paris suburb of Aubervilliers. They went together and found him there with another of the attackers, she said. The woman had never met Mr. Abaaoud before, she said, but was with Ms. Boulahcen when Mr. Abaaoud called unexpectedly two days after the attacks and summoned his cousin to his hiding place in the brush under a highway bridge near the Paris suburb of Aubervilliers. They went together and found him, she said. He was with another man, who turned out to be another of the attackers.
She described him as wearing orange sneakers, a hat and bomber-style jacket and said he seemed in good spirits. He asked his cousin to find him a place to stay “for two or three days” and some new clothes and shoes. She described Mr. Abaaoud as wearing orange sneakers, a hat and bomber-style jacket, and said he seemed to be in good spirits. He asked his cousin to find him a place to stay “for two or three days” and some new clothes and shoes.
As the three chatted, the woman realized she was probably talking to someone involved in the attacks and asked him directly about them. She said he responded, “The cafes in the 10th Arrondissement, that was me and it is not finished.”As the three chatted, the woman realized she was probably talking to someone involved in the attacks and asked him directly about them. She said he responded, “The cafes in the 10th Arrondissement, that was me and it is not finished.”
She later learned he was planning to target three more places, including a child care center, all of them in La Défense, a large office complex west of Paris. She later learned he was planning to target three more places, including a child care center, all of them in La Défense, a large business district west of Paris.
Surprised by his confident admission that he was responsible for some of the killings, she said she told him, “But you killed innocent people.”Surprised by his confident admission that he was responsible for some of the killings, she said she told him, “But you killed innocent people.”
She said he responded: “They were not innocent. You have to look at what is happening to us in Syria.”She said he responded: “They were not innocent. You have to look at what is happening to us in Syria.”
“But you say you are Muslim, but you have killed Muslims,” she told him.“But you say you are Muslim, but you have killed Muslims,” she told him.
He responded that they were “collateral damage.”He responded that they were “collateral damage.”
She described him to the television interviewer as “proud of himself.”She described him to the television interviewer as “proud of himself.”
“One could say he wasn’t afraid of anyone,’ she said, adding that he spoke about killing people as one would talk about doing household errands. “He was happy.”“One could say he wasn’t afraid of anyone,’ she said, adding that he spoke about killing people as one would talk about doing household errands. “He was happy.”
Ms. Boulahcen had told her that Mr. Abaaoud was in Syria, so she asked whether he had come back with refugees. He boasted: “France is nothing. … One can re-enter without official documents.Ms. Boulahcen had told her that Mr. Abaaoud was in Syria, so she asked whether he had come back with refugees. He boasted: “France is nothing. … One can re-enter without official documents.
“There are Syrians, Iraqis, French, German, English, 90 of us returned, we are everywhere in the Île-de-France,” he told her, referring to the region surrounding Paris.“There are Syrians, Iraqis, French, German, English, 90 of us returned, we are everywhere in the Île-de-France,” he told her, referring to the region surrounding Paris.
It is not clear if the 90 people he describes coming back with are all working with the Islamic State. If so, that would mean there are a large number of potential attackers in the Paris metropolitan area. It is not clear if the 90 people he describes are all working with the Islamic State. If so, that would mean there are a large number of potential attackers in the Paris metropolitan area.
The woman also said that Mr. Abaaoud had told her there was a number of failings in the Nov. 13 attacks, including an explosive belt that failed to detonate, and that he was there to make sure that “there will be no more failures.” The woman also said that Mr. Abaaoud had told her that there were a number of failings in the Nov. 13 attacks, including an explosive belt that failed to detonate, and that he was there to make sure that “there will be no more failures.”
It was after this conversation that the woman went to the police and told them that Mr. Abaaoud was under the bridge. Later, she told them where the apartment was that Ms. Boulahcen had rented for him. The police detective who was her contact explained that they would raid the apartment.It was after this conversation that the woman went to the police and told them that Mr. Abaaoud was under the bridge. Later, she told them where the apartment was that Ms. Boulahcen had rented for him. The police detective who was her contact explained that they would raid the apartment.
“I asked them not to kill Hasna, and he promised me that they will not kill her, that they weren’t interested in her,” she said.“I asked them not to kill Hasna, and he promised me that they will not kill her, that they weren’t interested in her,” she said.
But more than a thousand bullets were fired in the raid, and Ms. Boulahcen, who was wearing a suicide vest, died.But more than a thousand bullets were fired in the raid, and Ms. Boulahcen, who was wearing a suicide vest, died.
“I know they told me she was a suicide bomber, but I know Hasna did not want to die,” the woman said.“I know they told me she was a suicide bomber, but I know Hasna did not want to die,” the woman said.
The Paris prosecutor’s office and the police did not dispute any aspect of the woman’s interview. But the prosecutor’s office, in a terse statement, said it was opening an inquiry into whether a French law that protects the “secrecy of the investigation” had been breached.The Paris prosecutor’s office and the police did not dispute any aspect of the woman’s interview. But the prosecutor’s office, in a terse statement, said it was opening an inquiry into whether a French law that protects the “secrecy of the investigation” had been breached.
The prosecutor, François Molins, signaled that he would be looking into both the legality of the publication of the interview by the news media as well as how the information about the woman’s account had been leaked.The prosecutor, François Molins, signaled that he would be looking into both the legality of the publication of the interview by the news media as well as how the information about the woman’s account had been leaked.