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| French police arrest four people suspected of planning terror attack in Paris | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| François Hollande has warned that the terrorist threat in France remains very high after four people believed to have Islamist militant ties were arrested in dawn raids in the Paris area on suspicion of planning attacks in the French capital. | François Hollande has warned that the terrorist threat in France remains very high after four people believed to have Islamist militant ties were arrested in dawn raids in the Paris area on suspicion of planning attacks in the French capital. |
| Three men and a woman were arrested in the north of Paris. But the investigation was focused mainly on one of them: a 28-year-old French man who had been placed under house arrest since 29 February under the special provisions of France’s ongoing state of emergency. | Three men and a woman were arrested in the north of Paris. But the investigation was focused mainly on one of them: a 28-year-old French man who had been placed under house arrest since 29 February under the special provisions of France’s ongoing state of emergency. |
| He had been sentenced to five years in prison in March 2014 after he was arrested two years earlier trying to leave France for Syria. The French TV station TF1 reported that he had been released in October last year. | He had been sentenced to five years in prison in March 2014 after he was arrested two years earlier trying to leave France for Syria. The French TV station TF1 reported that he had been released in October last year. |
| The man was arrested with his partner in Seine-Saint-Denis on the edge of Paris. Two French brothers of Turkish family origin were also arrested at the same time in a northern arrondissement of Paris. | The man was arrested with his partner in Seine-Saint-Denis on the edge of Paris. Two French brothers of Turkish family origin were also arrested at the same time in a northern arrondissement of Paris. |
| “We have information about one person that suggests that he could undertake violent actions in France,” the French interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, said, adding that the man was thought to have ties with Islamic State in Syria. | “We have information about one person that suggests that he could undertake violent actions in France,” the French interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, said, adding that the man was thought to have ties with Islamic State in Syria. |
| Cazeneuve added: “This person was arrested this morning along with people linked with him.” He warned against jumping to the conclusion that an attack was imminent, saying police checks were under way. | Cazeneuve added: “This person was arrested this morning along with people linked with him.” He warned against jumping to the conclusion that an attack was imminent, saying police checks were under way. |
| French media reported that police seized computer equipment and an unused cartridge for an automatic rifle. | French media reported that police seized computer equipment and an unused cartridge for an automatic rifle. |
| Police in Belgium were meanwhile continuing to hunt for two suspects who fled a Brussels flat after a shootout on Tuesday during a raid linked to November’s Paris attacks which saw one gunman shot dead next to an Islamic State flag. | Police in Belgium were meanwhile continuing to hunt for two suspects who fled a Brussels flat after a shootout on Tuesday during a raid linked to November’s Paris attacks which saw one gunman shot dead next to an Islamic State flag. |
| The gunman killed by police in the quiet southern Brussels neighbourhood of Forest was identified as Mohamed Belkaïd, a 35-year-old Algerian living illegally in Belgium. He was shot dead by a police sniper as he prepared to fire at officers from a window. “Next to his body was a Kalashnikov, a book on Salafism and an Islamic State flag,” said Thierry Werts, of the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office. | The gunman killed by police in the quiet southern Brussels neighbourhood of Forest was identified as Mohamed Belkaïd, a 35-year-old Algerian living illegally in Belgium. He was shot dead by a police sniper as he prepared to fire at officers from a window. “Next to his body was a Kalashnikov, a book on Salafism and an Islamic State flag,” said Thierry Werts, of the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office. |
| The apartment in southern Brussels also contained a large cache of ammunition, investigating prosecutor Eric Van der Sypt said. | The apartment in southern Brussels also contained a large cache of ammunition, investigating prosecutor Eric Van der Sypt said. |
| Belkaïd had previously only been known to police for a case of theft in 2014. | Belkaïd had previously only been known to police for a case of theft in 2014. |
| The anti-terror raid in Brussels came as French and Belgian police continue to investigate the 13 November gun-and-bombing attacks on a stadium, Paris cafes and a rock concert. | The anti-terror raid in Brussels came as French and Belgian police continue to investigate the 13 November gun-and-bombing attacks on a stadium, Paris cafes and a rock concert. |
| The Paris attacks, which were claimed by Isis, are believed to have been in part prepared and coordinated in Brussels. | The Paris attacks, which were claimed by Isis, are believed to have been in part prepared and coordinated in Brussels. |
| Belgian officials said that since the Paris attacks, 58 people have been arrested in the direct investigation and another 23 arrested in related inquiries. | Belgian officials said that since the Paris attacks, 58 people have been arrested in the direct investigation and another 23 arrested in related inquiries. |
| Belgian prime minister Charles Michel said the country’s terror alert would stay at the second-highest level, “which means a threat is possible and likely”. | Belgian prime minister Charles Michel said the country’s terror alert would stay at the second-highest level, “which means a threat is possible and likely”. |
| Michel called on residents to “stay calm and cool-headed” as the investigation continued into Tuesday’s police raid. He told broadcaster RTL: “The investigation continues and the danger remains.” | Michel called on residents to “stay calm and cool-headed” as the investigation continued into Tuesday’s police raid. He told broadcaster RTL: “The investigation continues and the danger remains.” |