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Raid on Toulouse shooting suspect | Raid on Toulouse shooting suspect |
(40 minutes later) | |
Police hunting a gunman suspected of killing seven people in southern France are laying siege to a flat in Toulouse. | Police hunting a gunman suspected of killing seven people in southern France are laying siege to a flat in Toulouse. |
The man, named as Mohammed Merah, 24, a Frenchman of Algerian origin, has said he belongs to al-Qaeda and acted to "avenge Palestinian children". | The man, named as Mohammed Merah, 24, a Frenchman of Algerian origin, has said he belongs to al-Qaeda and acted to "avenge Palestinian children". |
Police are negotiating with the man, who is still said to be armed but says he may give himself up this afternoon. | Police are negotiating with the man, who is still said to be armed but says he may give himself up this afternoon. |
French Interior Minister Claude Gueant said the man had been tracked by French intelligence for "several years". | |
The brother of the suspect has been arrested in another part of Toulouse, with several other relatives also reported detained. | |
Scooter clues | |
Mr Gueant, who is at the siege scene, says the suspect has a Kalashnikov, a mini-Uzi 9mm machine pistol and several handguns. He earlier threw one gun, a Colt 45, from a window in exchange for a phone. More weapons were found in a car near the flat. | |
Mr Gueant said the suspect had no particular demands and that, after originally talking to the authorities, the man had now broken off discussions. | |
The suspect's mother, who is Algerian, had been brought to the scene, but Mr Gueant said she had refused to become involved as "she had little influence on him". | The suspect's mother, who is Algerian, had been brought to the scene, but Mr Gueant said she had refused to become involved as "she had little influence on him". |
The man shot at the door after police arrived, Mr Gueant said, injuring one officer in the knee and "lightly injuring" another. | The man shot at the door after police arrived, Mr Gueant said, injuring one officer in the knee and "lightly injuring" another. |
The minister said: "Our main concern is to catch him and to catch him under such conditions that he can be brought to justice." | The minister said: "Our main concern is to catch him and to catch him under such conditions that he can be brought to justice." |
The flat in Toulouse is in a five-storey building and the man is on the ground or first floor, correspondents say. | The flat in Toulouse is in a five-storey building and the man is on the ground or first floor, correspondents say. |
Police wearing helmets and flak jackets have cordoned off the area and prosecutors say other operations are under way to track down possible accomplices. | Police wearing helmets and flak jackets have cordoned off the area and prosecutors say other operations are under way to track down possible accomplices. |
Mr Gueant said the suspect had made one visit to Afghanistan and one to Pakistan. | |
"He claims to be a mujahideen and to belong to al-Qaeda," Mr Gueant said. | "He claims to be a mujahideen and to belong to al-Qaeda," Mr Gueant said. |
"He wanted revenge for the Palestinian children and he also wanted to take revenge on the French army because of its foreign interventions." | "He wanted revenge for the Palestinian children and he also wanted to take revenge on the French army because of its foreign interventions." |
French media have linked the suspect to a group called Forsane Alizza (Knights of Pride) that was banned by Mr Gueant in January. | French media have linked the suspect to a group called Forsane Alizza (Knights of Pride) that was banned by Mr Gueant in January. |
They say the suspect was arrested in Kandahar, Afghanistan, in 2010 for unspecified, but not terrorist-related, criminal acts and also has a criminal record in France. | They say the suspect was arrested in Kandahar, Afghanistan, in 2010 for unspecified, but not terrorist-related, criminal acts and also has a criminal record in France. |
The BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris says investigators report that the suspect was identified because of an e-mail message sent to his first victim about buying a scooter. | The BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris says investigators report that the suspect was identified because of an e-mail message sent to his first victim about buying a scooter. |
The message, sent from the suspect's brother's account, set up an appointment at which the soldier was killed, sources told AFP. | The message, sent from the suspect's brother's account, set up an appointment at which the soldier was killed, sources told AFP. |
The man had also sought out a garage in Toulouse to have his Yamaha scooter repainted after the first two attacks. A scooter was used in all the attacks. | The man had also sought out a garage in Toulouse to have his Yamaha scooter repainted after the first two attacks. A scooter was used in all the attacks. |
A huge manhunt had been launched after Monday's shooting at a Jewish school that left four people dead, and the killing of three soldiers in two incidents last week. | A huge manhunt had been launched after Monday's shooting at a Jewish school that left four people dead, and the killing of three soldiers in two incidents last week. |
Memorial services | Memorial services |
The funerals of the rabbi and three children killed on Monday are under way in Jerusalem. | The funerals of the rabbi and three children killed on Monday are under way in Jerusalem. |
At least 2,000 mourners are at the Givat Shaul cemetery on the western outskirts of Jerusalem. | At least 2,000 mourners are at the Givat Shaul cemetery on the western outskirts of Jerusalem. |
The attacker gunned down Jonathan Sandler, a 30-year-old rabbi and teacher of religion, his two young sons Arieh and Gabriel and then - at point blank range - the head teacher's daughter, seven-year-old Myriam Monsonego, in Monday's attack at the Jewish school. | The attacker gunned down Jonathan Sandler, a 30-year-old rabbi and teacher of religion, his two young sons Arieh and Gabriel and then - at point blank range - the head teacher's daughter, seven-year-old Myriam Monsonego, in Monday's attack at the Jewish school. |
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe has accompanied the relatives of the dead to the funerals in Jerusalem. | French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe has accompanied the relatives of the dead to the funerals in Jerusalem. |
In his eulogy to clearly distraught relatives at the service, Israeli speaker of parliament Reuben Rivlin said: "The entire house of Israel weeps over these murders." | In his eulogy to clearly distraught relatives at the service, Israeli speaker of parliament Reuben Rivlin said: "The entire house of Israel weeps over these murders." |
Also on Wednesday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy is to attend a memorial service for the three soldiers killed in the two attacks last week. | Also on Wednesday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy is to attend a memorial service for the three soldiers killed in the two attacks last week. |
All three were of North African descent. Another soldier from the French overseas region of Guadeloupe was left critically ill. | All three were of North African descent. Another soldier from the French overseas region of Guadeloupe was left critically ill. |
Socialist presidential candidate Francois Hollande and Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right Front National, will attend the memorial service in Montauban. | Socialist presidential candidate Francois Hollande and Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right Front National, will attend the memorial service in Montauban. |
After Wednesday's raid took place, Ms Le Pen said the "fundamentalist threat has been underestimated" in France. | After Wednesday's raid took place, Ms Le Pen said the "fundamentalist threat has been underestimated" in France. |
Paris Grand Mosque Recter Dalil Boubakeur urged France not to stigmatise French Muslims, saying "99.9%" were law-abiding citizens. | |
Are you in the area near the raid? Have you been affected by the shootings or the heightened security measures? Send us your comments using the form below. | Are you in the area near the raid? Have you been affected by the shootings or the heightened security measures? Send us your comments using the form below. |
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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